Results 1-20 of 26,886 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Budgets (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The capital allocations for my Department for the years 2024 and 2025 are €1.021 million and €768.1 million respectively. A breakdown of capital funding allocated in 2024 and 2025 is provided in the table below. Programme Title 2024 CapitalAllocation€000 2025 CapitalAllocation€000 A - Climate Action and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 18 together. The Warmer Homes Scheme aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people at risk of energy poverty by providing fully funded retrofits. The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf of my Department and is funded through the carbon tax receipts and the European Regional...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 together. My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improving the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation),...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together. My Department funds a number of grant schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners, businesses and communities improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme was launched in April 2024. The scheme is intended to play a crucial role in helping homeowners invest in energy upgrades to make their homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills. The scheme was developed by my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Finance, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Heat Study, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, recommended that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation path for heating systems in decarbonising buildings, with district heating also being an option that can be widely deployed. However, the Heat Study also recognised the potential role for sustainable bioenergy for buildings that require alternative...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a bioliquid which can be used as a renewable energy and which, in a transport context, is classified as a biofuel. HVO is currently available for consumers to purchase for use for both transport and heating. The National Heat Study, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), contains detailed analysis that is being used to inform...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is firmly committed to delivering on Ireland’s responsibility to address the climate crisis and to achieving our legally binding targets of a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. Emissions data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows our policies are having an impact. Ireland’s emissions have now fallen for the third...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Quality (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Clean Air Strategy is the main vehicle for progressing measures and actions to improve air quality across Ireland as outlined in the Programme for Government. The second annual progress report has been submitted to Government for information and is available to view at Clean Air Strategy. Ireland is fully compliant with all current relevant EU air quality limits and is working on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Schemes (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports businesses in becoming more energy-efficient, ultimately strengthening their position in the market, through schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) which provide various supports that can assist in increasing energy efficiency and lowering carbon emissions. The Business Energy Upgrade Scheme (BEUS) was opened in November 2024, with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Sector Pensions (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 25, 26 and 27 together. EirGrid is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department and was established under Regulation 50 of the European Communities (Internal Market in Electricity) Regulations 2000. EirGrid is a body corporate and a separate legal entity to the Department and the Minister. My Department has received two requests to apply...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including hydrogen buses for the Bus Éireann PSO fleet. I understand that circa 4.5 years ago, the NTA purchased a total of three...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling and timetabling of these services in...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Licences (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector. As the Deputy is aware, SPSV operators are self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including the SPSV Driver Entry Test, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector. Accordingly, I have referred your question to the NTA...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Safety (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for overall policy and exchequer funding in relation to the National Roads Programme. Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015 and in line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the operation and management of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. This is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 41 together. The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry, including SPSV licensing and the administration of the wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) grant, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (16 Jul 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) sector, including the SPSV Driver Entry Test, is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. I have no role in the day-to-day operations of the SPSV sector. Accordingly, I have referred your question to the NTA...