Results 821-840 of 1,067,334 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Michael McNamara OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh OR speaker:Róisín Shortall OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Duncan Smith OR speaker:Martin Heydon) in 'Committee meetings'

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Cormac Devlin: I welcome the opportunity to examine the Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024. The climate action committee waived pre-legislative scrutiny of it, as it has done for other Bills, to ensure the credits land on time for householders and that the work behind the scenes can be done for householders to benefit. The €250 energy credit will be spread over...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Martin Browne: What is clear after the budget is that there is no Government plan to alleviate the pressures placed on households by the energy companies. While short-term measures are needed, Sinn Féin knows that to address the dysfunction in the Irish energy market, longer term measures also need to be taken. Wholesale energy prices have fallen by 75% since their peak, yet households are still...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Of course, nobody who receives this credit before or after Christmas will be sorry to do so. As the ESRI has pointed out, however, the net effect of the Government’s budget is that some of the least well-off and most vulnerable households will be marginally less well off. That is pretty shameful. Given the astonishing, unprecedented budget surpluses and, of course, the Apple...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Martin Kenny: Energy prices and the cost of fuel are some of the biggest issues facing people. I am always intrigued when I hear many of the various organisations that comment on the economy warning against investment in infrastructure and how it could create inflation. The truth is that the two biggest drivers of inflation in this country are the costs of housing and energy. Investing in those two...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: This is the third year in a row debating emergency-----

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Gerald Nash: It is the fourth year in a row.

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: This is the fourth year in a row in which we are debating emergency measures and talking about one-off payments. At what stage is it no longer an emergency and a one-off payment? The fact it is being referred to in this way is indicative of a Government that has far too much money with no vision, ideas or real solutions to these problems which face so many people. If the Government had...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Thomas Gould: We in Sinn Féin recognise that ordinary people are really struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and the failure of this Government to properly tackle it. We have the highest energy bills in Europe, including high gas bills. People are really struggling. That is why we believe the €250 the Government is offering does not go far enough. We believe that at least €450...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Gerald Nash: I am pleased to speak on this Bill for the Labour Party. The State will have spent, I think, close to or in excess of €2 billion in energy credit payments since the onset of the energy crisis. We know only too well that this is by definition an untargeted measure. It is universal in nature and has been explained away as a once-off emergency measure to help people through a temporary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I take this opportunity to welcome Deputy Farrell as Chair of the committee. I am delighted that not only has he joined the joined the committee but that he is now Chair. I also want to record my thanks to Senator Gerry Horkan who filled in so well and for such a long time. I thank Mr. Meade and Mr. Kelly for attending. We know what happened with the timetable changes. We have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: However, there is the vulnerability of Connolly Station. Out of all the stations, it is probably the one Mr. Meade knows best given his proximity to it. Did he at some point realise when this was coming down the tracks that there would be problems in view of the amount of congestion at the station? Was it ever flagged by Irish Rail that we might stall it and have another look, or was Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: Mr. Meade used an interesting analogy earlier about trying put a gallon of liquid into a pint glass. Population increase on the northern line continues. It is happening right now. Towns like Donabate and further up the line are all experiencing building. When we talk about a three- or four-track solution along the line, it seems like a long way away. There is also a campaign to retain a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: What is Iarnród Éireann doing to get the track capacity from the vision document Mr. Meade mentioned to actual delivery?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I do not want to prejudge Iarnród Éireann's work on that but given what has happened over the past few weeks, I imagine the tracking of the northern line into Connolly Station would be high on that agenda.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I have a final question regarding the overall electrification of the line and another issue Deputy Farrell, other Deputies and I will raise, which is the capacity in our electricity network. Has Iarnród Éireann had discussions with the ESB to ensure there is enough power in the system for to deliver what the witnesses want to deliver in the next couple of years or does Iarnród...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Duncan Smith: I thank Mr. Meade and the Chair for the extra minute.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Timetables: Iarnród Éireann (9 Oct 2024)

Frank Feighan: I welcome the witnesses. It is a very interesting engagement. Mr. Meade said Irish Rail made a mistake with the timetable changes after 26 August and he hopes there will not be the same disruption again for passengers. Unfortunately, these things happen. He has held up his hands and said Irish Rail will try to do a bit better. I live in Sligo, in the north west. I will be a bit...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I am sharing time with Deputy Gould. I thank the Minister of State for his statement. We have been over this ground a number of times in discussing similar legislation. I broadly welcome this initiative as we go into the winter. I do not agree, however, with a number of provisions in the legislation. The assistance given should have gone further this winter. We will deal with that...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The impact of the sharp rise in energy costs experienced in 2022 is still being felt. Households are paying on average 59% more for their electricity, and 90% more for their gas, than they were pre-crisis. This is despite the multiple rounds of price reductions announced by suppliers since 2023. Households are still in need of support...