Results 301-320 of 1,031,502 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Terry Leyden OR speaker:Michael Collins OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Paul Murphy)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Questions Nos. 68 and 69 taken with Written Questions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Climate Action Plan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Connolly: 70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of 14 May 2024, the status of the development by his Department of a monitoring and reporting system for the local authority climate action plans; the details of any engagement he or his Department has had to date with Galway City Council or Galway County Council with regard to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Connolly: My question relates to the climate action plans, the preparation of which is mandatory for all the 31 local authorities. My question specifically relates to Galway city and county and, more particularly, the Minister’s Department and what progress has been made on a monitoring and reporting system because that is essential.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: In March 2023, I published statutory guidelines to assist local authorities in preparing their local authority climate action plans. Those guidelines include a requirement for ongoing monitoring and progress reporting. Each local authority must provide reporting arrangements which demonstrate accountability for the delivery of actions at various levels, including: reporting within the local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome the Minister’s reply and what he set out, but I think he will agree that a monitoring and reporting system is absolutely essential. Galway City Council is in trouble when it comes to housing. It has many priorities on its hands, including traffic congestion. It seems that climate action is not getting the attention it deserves. I can understand that to a certain extent....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I was very pleased that every one of the 31 local authorities and their councillors approved their local climate action plans in the timeframe we requested, namely by March. We have to be up front and honest that the level of engagement varies between counties but there was a very real effort to make sure that happened. I agree with the Deputy. We need to go forward and really focus on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Galway is a particularly good example of a bottom-up approach. I was there back during the period 2000 to 2003 when there was a bottom-up campaign against incineration - it was not in a NIMBY fashion but one of zero waste – and we were laughed at. We developed a plan for the county and what happened? The Government removed the power to make plans. The Minister is aware of all that....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It needs both. We in central government must be centrally involved. But I might give a couple of examples where it also requires local authority leadership. Take the whole transport area, to return to a question from Deputy Gannon. I was making the case that to meet our climate targets we will have to reduce the volume of traffic and that requires demand-management measures which can only...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Climate Action Plan (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Connolly: There has to be leadership.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (27 Jun 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: How many megawatts of community-owned renewable energy are currently energised and how many more megawatts will be needed in order meet the 2030 target? It seems clear that there is development in this space from a policy perspective, moving from the RESS and recognising some of the barriers. It remains to be seen whether the new SRESS process will address that. From a community...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (27 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It should always be efficiency first. That is the first fuel, first saving, first and most important priority. I agree with the Deputy's basic point. We have not delivered at the scale and speed that I would like in the context of community-owned generation of renewable power. One of the advantages of renewable power is that it should allow for a more distributed, broadly owned energy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (27 Jun 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I encourage the Minister to look at some innovative models across Europe that have sought to take a different approach to the delivery of the same outcome. The outcome should be the literal ownership and a sense of ownership of the energy transition in order to allow people to share in the opportunity and the benefits offered by the transition to renewable energy. There are so many...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Energy Infrastructure (27 Jun 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I agree with the Deputy. I will look at the model. I am very open to looking at different models. We should continue to evolve this because there is real benefit in terms of wider community ownership and engagement. The International Energy Agency, IEA, country review, which was noted by the Government this week, recognised that there are a many community benefits and gain from our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (27 Jun 2024)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Recycling Policy

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Pauline Tully: 67. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the actions he has taken to ensure that the deposit return scheme is accessible to disabled people since the launch of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27566/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Pauline Tully: I ask the Minister what actions he has taken to ensure that the deposit return scheme, DRS, is accessible to disabled people, since the launch of the scheme.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The DRS is a national infrastructure project which operates primarily on a return-to-retail model. Under the DRS regulations, retailers are required to charge customers a deposit for each bottle sold, to take back empty containers, unless exempt, and to refund the deposit to customers. Retailers are also required to ensure that the take-back facility they provide on their premises is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Recycling Policy (27 Jun 2024)

Pauline Tully: I find this a bit unbelievable. Planning for this scheme has taken many months, maybe even years. The scheme was launched at the beginning of the year and the first meeting to properly discuss and have consultation around accessiblity took place on 6 June. Now an advisory panel is going to be put in place. The machines are already in place. They are welcome and are working well....