Results 1-20 of 1,259 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I raise the issue of Bord na Móna's plans to sell off its waste management business, as was reported recently. This risks further concentration of waste management services, which is potentially bad for workers and customers. It is further privatisation when the opposite should be happening. Is the Taoiseach aware of the plan and has he or the Government assessed it in terms of...

Local Authority Housing Maintenance and Repair: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: In today's Ireland, hundreds of thousands of ordinary workers and families face an impossible situation. They are confronted with a housing crisis of unprecedented proportion. Successive Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Governments have utterly failed on housing. Bad planning, mismanagement and downright dereliction have resulted in one of the worst shortages of social and affordable...

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2024: First Stage (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Electricity Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2024: First Stage (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 to give the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) the legislative remit to effectively monitor wholesale and retail prices in the energy market; to increase the frequency and level of reporting; to effectively monitor and regulate hedging practices; to strengthen the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: What are the plans for Thornton Hall? Last week, we received notification from the community engagement team that it will be used as emergency accommodation and that this accommodation will be brought on stream in the near future. That is all of the information we have. I have spoken to the two Ministers involved. It has been reported that this will take four to six weeks and that it may...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 60. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to report on the measures his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23297/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask the Minister to report on the measures his Department is taking to implement the recommendations of the report from the Oireachtas committee on renewables and offshore wind and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (23 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to ask specifically about recommendation 8. It refers to Wind Energy Ireland and the Skills for Zero Carbon report. Regarding ports specifically, there is a recommendation for investment in our ports. This is an issue that comes up consistently. I hear the response from Government regarding applications for European funding but we have seen in the past that our ports have been...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Change Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Electricity emissions reductions are significantly contributed to by imported electricity. That fact should not be lost. There are carbon budgets and sectoral emission ceilings out to 2030 but there is no plan to deliver emissions reductions to meet those targets. In fact, including the 5.25 megatonnes unallocated on an annual basis with all of the measures proposed by the Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to raise the issue of the number of gardaí, specifically the resource allocation model, because there is a shortage of gardaí right across the State. It is very pronounced and no more so than in my county, Meath. County Meath has the lowest number of gardaí per head of population in the State, at in the region of 142 per 100,000 people. The next worst is County...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for his reply but I have to say, while it is useful information, it does not address the issue I am raising here today. My sense of things is reflected anecdotally and I can give some examples in my own area. A lady contacted my office who moved into a new one-bedroom unit in December. Her first energy bill for six weeks in the house was €615. That is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for being here to take it. I raised the issue very briefly with him on Priority Questions last week but I am glad to have some extra time here to focus on it. I am concerned that people, who are isolated, have exorbitant bills related to heat pump use. I have spoken to members...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (16 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 59. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the 103 Bus Éireann bus service; its performance standard and plans to improve it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22082/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (16 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask the Minister for an update on the 103 Bus Éireann service which services Ratoath and Ashbourne to and from Dublin, its performance standard and plans to improve it, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (16 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I received a similar response directly from Bus Éireann earlier this week. It stated that so far in 2024, over 97% of scheduled route 103 services have operated fully. Anybody who uses that service will hear that as an insult to their intelligence. I will give today as an example. Three services have been cancelled, namely, the 8.58 a.m., the 9.22 a.m. and the 10 a.m. services. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (16 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: Representatives of the service providers appeared before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications last week. One of the asks they had of the Department, the Minister and his ministerial colleague was that a co-ordinated approach be taken to address the shortage of drivers and craft workers, involving SOLAS, the education and training boards, ETBs, and the National Apprenticeship...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (14 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to go back to that question of whether the Minister of State is satisfied. It is positive we are seeing increasing numbers of cans and bottles on the shelves with the return logo. Is he satisfied that this transition is going to continue? There were initial problems - more than problems - with databases and barcodes not matching up and lots of teething problems. I echo those points...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: North-South Interconnector (14 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister of State's response seems to be in the wrong tense because that consultation has already happened. EirGrid knows exactly the response. The Minister has a responsibility to find out exactly where that project is. Deputy Carthy is absolutely right. If as the Minister of State says, EirGrid, ESB Networks and the CRU are considering their next steps, that is a direct collision...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (14 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: 60. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware of ongoing concerns with the roll-out and operation of the deposit-return scheme; the measures he is taking to address these concerns; if he will report on Ireland’s experience thus far when compared with other EU states based on data he received (details supplied); and if he will make a statement...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (14 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I have a similar question. I hope for the successful implementation of the scheme. I believe it has been reported that less than 1% of the machines have performance issues. Is there proper oversight regarding internal malfunction of the machines? What training regimes are in place to ensure they are operational as much as possible? People are now seeing an increasing number of bottles...