Results 21-40 of 166 for epa speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Noise Pollution (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...for the making of strategic noise maps and action plans. Primary responsibility for both noise mapping and action planning is assigned to local authorities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the designated national authority for the general supervision of the functions and actions of noise-mapping bodies and, where necessary, provides guidance and advice to such bodies and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The current Waste Framework Directive includes a requirement for all member states to have a separate collection system for textiles by 1 January 2025 to support the transition to a textiles circular economy. Ireland's separate collection system for textiles consists of a national network of local authority and charity bring banks, charity retail shops as well as some private bring banks....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Noise Pollution (9 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...to the Infrastructure Guidelines and the necessary statutory approvals. The amended European Communities (Environmental Noise Regulations) 2018 (S.I. No. 549) deal with the requirements to prepare noise actions plans to be developed for the purpose of managing environmental noise issues and their effects, including noise reduction, if necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Projects (8 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: This Department has one major capital project, the National Broadband Plan, being delivered as part of Project Ireland 2040. This plan is a core element of the implementation of the Digital Connectivity Strategy. The availability of high-speed, reliable, digital connectivity will support the delivery of Ireland’s economic and social ambitions, and will position Ireland at the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Noise Pollution (1 Apr 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...and the necessary statutory approvals. With regard to National Roads, the amended European Communities (Environmental Noise Regulations) 2018 (S.I. No. 549) deal with the requirements to prepare noise actions plans to be developed for the purpose of managing environmental noise issues and their effects, including noise reduction, if necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Bodies (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of bodies under my Department's aegis with powers to make determinations, decisions or authorisations under regulatory functions or appeal functions: the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Mining Board. With...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is engaged on a number of initiatives to reduce and tackle textile waste. The separate collection of textiles is essential to maximise opportunities for reuse and supporting our transition to a circular economy. Currently, our separate collection system for textiles consists of a national network of local authority and charity bring banks, charity retail shops as well as some...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Noise Pollution (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...wind energy development is currently provided for in statutory planning guidelines, the current applicable guidelines being the Wind Energy Development Guidelines, 2006. All planning guidelines are prepared under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). I am advised that the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air and Water Pollution (25 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland is currently not in exceedance of any of our legal requirements for air quality levels. The EPA air quality monitoring network is used to determine our compliance with legal limits and all relevant data is available from www.airquality.ie. Amendments to the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive have set more stringent legally binding limits for Ireland to achieve by 2030 and plans are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air and Water Pollution (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 179, inclusive, together. The Report mentioned was prepared by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and requests for copies of the Report should be directed to that Council. Local authorities are and will continue to be responsible for the enforcement of the solid fuel regulations, including identifying unauthorised fuels placed on the market...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Emergency Planning (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...to be convened and for the plan to be invoked. These include specific notifications to Irish authorities of nuclear or radiological emergencies abroad. The plan is available at www.gov.ie. My Department is the Lead Government Department under the plan and is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Climate Change Policy (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...and the use of renewable alternative fuels. The Climate Action Plans, which are updated nationally, are underpinned by a detailed Annex of Actions, and reported upon quarterly by the Department of An Taoiseach. We have already seen positive progress in all aspects of the Avoid-Shift-Improve framework, and expect to see continued progress in 2025: Avoid - My Department is developing...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Noise Pollution (19 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...the new road project in question. With regard to existing National Roads, the amended European Communities (Environmental Noise Regulations) 2018 (S.I. No. 549) deal with the requirements to prepare noise actions plans to be developed for the purpose of managing environmental noise issues and their effects, including noise reduction, if necessary. The Environmental Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: EU Regulations (6 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The separate collection of textiles is essential to maximise opportunities for reuse and supporting our transition to a circular economy. Currently, our separate collection system for textiles consists of a national network of local authority and charity bring banks, charity retail shops as well as some private bring banks. There are also a number of retailers who have take-back schemes in...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (4 Mar 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: I have asked my officials to review this report and to engage directly with the EPA on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (27 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...the necessary statutory approvals. Noise mitigation measures for new National Roads projects are funded through the overall allocation for the road project in question. As such, the need for a separate fund does not arise. With regard to existing National Roads, the amended European Communities (Environmental Noise Regulations) 2018 (S.I. No. 549) deal with the requirements to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...our infrastructure. Significant resources are available through the National Development Plan which outlines the allocations for capital investment for the period to 2030. Individual Government Departments decide on the most appropriate prioritisation and application of the funding allocated to them, including the allocation of resources for climate change adaptation. ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Policies (20 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: ...and refine the plan in the context of the latest reports from the Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change Advisory Council and Climate Action Plan progress reports was coordinated by my Department to deliver a multi-stakeholder approach to Climate Action Plan 2025’s development. As the final Climate Action Plan of the first carbon budget period, CAP25 sets out a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Mining Industry (18 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Mining activity requires three separate consents obtained from three different agencies:Planning permission from the relevant Local Authority;An Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) or an Industrial Emissions (IE) Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These licences contain strict conditions on how a mine must operate to protect the environment from pollution; andA mining...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Land Issues (18 Feb 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The first phase of the Land-use Review was led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and focused on evidence gathering. The Synthesis Report of Phase 1 and the associated technical outputs were published in March 2023. The Programme for Government 2025, 'Securing Ireland’s Future', has committed to completing the second phase of the Land Use Review with the aim of balancing...