Results 1-20 of 37 for epa speaker:Brian Leddin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Report: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Brian Leddin: ...in favour of active travel, which is completely contrary to what the media, and certainly social media, would tell us. This kind of research is hugely important so we will certainly look at the EPA research Dr. Quinn referenced. I thank Dr. Quinn and call Dr. Deane.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Report: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Brian Leddin: Is this work led by the EPA?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Ireland's Climate Change Assessment Report: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Brian Leddin: It might, therefore, be an idea for us to speak with the EPA directly to ask it what it sees as being the next steps in this area. Okay, we will finish on that point. I thank all the witnesses, including those who have joined us remotely and all those who have come to Leinster House this afternoon to share with us their expertise and the detail, as best they could in the time we had, of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Brian Leddin: ...piece mentioned by Deputy O'Rourke of getting the plans back on track if we are off track. In that regard, we will probably look to have Ministers in just after the summer break, after the EPA and Climate Change Advisory Council publish their reports. That will be a little sooner than we had Ministers in in 2023. That is the plan as of now. I thank the Minister and his officials again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (7 Dec 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...today and, indeed, for that of his officials who came in with him as well. It has been an interesting session. We have established a pattern now of climate action plans being published, the EPA reporting in the summer publishing its projections, the Climate Change Advisory Council giving its take on how we are doing and bringing the Ministers in towards the end of the year prior to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...the previous plan in order to try to get us back on track. The timing of this meeting and the meetings with the other Ministers is after the report of the Climate Change Advisory Council and the EPA report in the summer, but prior to the revision of the climate action plan. The purpose of having any Minister before this committee is to challenge the policies and for the Minister to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: The meeting will be split into two sessions. The first is with representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. Also with us is Professor Mark Scott. The second session will be with officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The purpose of the sessions is to examine the recommendations...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: It is an interesting question but perhaps not fair to the EPA.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I thank Deputy Kenny. I must advise members that we have a hard deadline of 1.45 p.m. Officials from two Departments are still to come in. We will wrap up this session soon. I will make my contribution before Deputy Whitmore comes in. If anybody else wants to come in briefly in this session, they may indicate now and I will bring them in. I will pick up on Deputy Whitmore's comment...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Safety (5 Oct 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...will add to the points made by Deputy Ó Cathasaigh. I have a very strong concern that we do not have a true picture of the effect of traffic on air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, published a very good report last week. It provides a macro view of air quality across the 116 stations in the country. In a response last week, the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Quality (28 Sep 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...being done in the area of smoky fuels by this Government. We really are turning a corner there but we are not looking closely enough at the air quality issue due to traffic. The analysis in the EPA report simply is not there and it needs to be there to instill confidence in the population that this is being monitored properly. That does not come from the EPA report with respect to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Air Quality (28 Sep 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...that is being done in the roll-out of air quality monitoring stations across the country, we are looking at a total of 116, which is not a lot given the number of urban areas we have. The latest EPA report highlighted localised concerns around air quality and I do not believe the monitoring system we have now is really picking up the real situation that is there. It needs to be looked...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Ireland's Water Quality: Discussion (5 Jul 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...record my dismay at the comments of the president of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, when he disregarded the report published last week and described it as nonsensical. That was unfair to the EPA and the scientists working in it because they are absolutely committed to science, as we all should be. Mr. Cullinan is not here to defend himself but he went on the record and went out very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Nature Restoration Law and Land Use Review: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Brian Leddin: The EPA did a report approximately 18 months ago and the report found that the emissions associated with peaty soils was much larger than had been previously understood. The EPA are obviously a bona fide organisation that has come back and said that they are a source of emissions to the tune of, I think, 5 or 6 megatonnes, if I am correct. We will go back and look at the research but we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Nature Restoration Law and Land Use Review: Discussion (28 Mar 2023)

Brian Leddin: I expect the EPA is looking at the Irish context but I thank Mr. Roddy for that. Ms O'Sullivan, on the same question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Inland Fisheries Ireland: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (7 Mar 2023)

Brian Leddin: ...respect to habitat protection. Deputy Whitmore rightly pointed out that, until the fish are floating in the river, we often do not know there is a problem. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, monitors rivers frequently and reports on the status of the rivers, I think. Is there a role for Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI, as an organisation and for the board, with respect to an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Impact Assessments (25 Oct 2022)

Brian Leddin: ...is also the case that 95% of landowners who seek approval do get full permission. All that adds up to 2,000 km of hedgerows being removed every year, which is a conservative estimate made by the EPA. Hedgerows Ireland, an organisation that I would like to commend has produced research on the issue. It has done brilliant work. As Deputy Carthy will recall, representatives of the...

Annual Transition Statement: Statements (15 Jun 2022)

Brian Leddin: Two weeks ago, the EPA presented its report on greenhouse gas predictions for the next two decades, the conclusions of which were no surprise to most of us. We have done a lot on climate, but there is still a significant challenge ahead. We have set up the legislative framework, are close to meeting our green targets across all sectors of the economy to reduce emissions and have an...

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Security: Statements (12 May 2022)

Brian Leddin: ...emissions, the agriculture sector is a big emitter. Under the climate law, we have set a budget for emissions and each sector must contribute. Those sectoral budgets are also being negotiated at the moment between Departments. For agriculture the cut in emissions will range between 22% and 30%, equating to an absolute reduction of between 5 and 7 megatonnes of CO2equivalent per annum,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: New Retrofitting Plan and the Built Environment: Discussion (26 Apr 2022)

Brian Leddin: ...numbers in 2027? The witnesses can correct me if I am wrong on this point. We are dealing now with approximately 67 megatonnes in this context. Through the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, inventory, we are trying to reduce that figure to 32 megatonnes or 33 megatonnes. If we change the accounting system, however, by including embodied carbon emissions, which are significant...