Results 161-180 of 28,553 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: There is currently no proposal from the European Commission to simplify the Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS2) or the Social Climate Fund. There have therefore been no engagements to date with the European Commission in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland’s Climate Action Plans recognise the need for the electricity sector to become more adaptable and flexible, in response to the ever-increasing volume of distributed renewable energy sources on the grid and an increasing electricity demand. To ensure reliability in such a distributed energy system, as well as to minimise the network upgrades (and costs for all) needed to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electricity Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government approved the Private Wires Policy Statement in July of this year. Officials in my Department have started drafting the General Scheme of a Bill to provide for Private Wires which I expect to be brought to Government by the end of the year. Officials are engaging closely with key stakeholders including the CRU, EirGrid and ESB in the development of the legislation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electricity Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Having received Government approval for the Private Wires Policy Statement in July this year, my Department has initiated the process of drafting the subsequent necessary Private Wires legislation. Developing private wires legislation is a priority for the Government and was included in the Programme for Government. Engagement with key stakeholders has commenced and is ongoing. My...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: To assist in the achievement of our national and EU climate and energy targets, the Government has committed to supporting an ambitious target for indigenously produced biomethane annually by 2030. A first step to realising this ambition was the publication of the National Biomethane Strategy, which sets out 25 key strategic actions and outlines the necessary supports needed to drive growth...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister, I meet with a range of stakeholders on important topics including energy prices, and I can confirm that I have met with both the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) which is assigned consumer protection functions under the 1999 Electricity Regulation Act, and energy suppliers since being appointed as Minister. On 26 September 2025, I met with the four biggest energy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Schemes (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action Plan sets out policies, measures and actions to be taken to achieve sectoral emissions ceilings for the residential sector. These measures include the retrofit of existing homes and installation of heat pumps to support the achievement of the required emissions reductions. The National Retrofit Plan sets out the Government’s approach to delivering on these...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Government remains committed to the development of 5GW of offshore wind capacity with projects in construction by 2030 and energised as soon as feasible thereafter. Our 5 GW target will be met through a combination of projects from Phase One and from within the South Coast DMAP. Five Phase One projects are presently in development off our east coast. Applications for planning consent for all...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Quality (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government's Clean Air Strategy is the main vehicle for progressing measures and actions to improve air quality across Ireland. The second annual progress report (July 2025) was submitted to Government for information and is available to view at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environme nt/press-releases/government-approves-legislation-to-improve...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Schemes (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation), as well as solar PV and heat pump installation. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Extensive analysis was carried out as part of the development of the National Biomethane Strategy to determine the necessary interventions needed to support development of the sector, and deliver in line with Government ambition by 2030. This analysis included engagement with key Government Departments and wider stakeholders, including in the transport sector. As outlined in the strategy,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Delivery of the Government's ambitious target for indigenous biomethane by 2030, and its use within our energy system, will have multiple cross-sectoral benefits for Ireland’s economy, energy security and emissions profile. As such, development of the industry will require a coherent and collaborative approach to policy implementation across all relevant sectors including energy,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Biomethane production is still at an early stage of development in Ireland, with only two operational biomethane facilities injecting biomethane into the gas grid. The volume of biomethane injected into the grid in 2023 was small, equating to approximately 60 GWh per annum, which is equivalent to 0.001% of Ireland’s current gas demand. The Government is committed to supporting the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Government has committed to deliver an ambitious target for indigenously produced biomethane by 2030. In response, my Department, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, published the National Biomethane Strategy in May 2024. Anaerobic digestion (AD), although a very well-established technology in Europe with over 20,000 plants in operation, is a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the agreed sectoral emissions ceilings, Government has committed to supporting an ambitious target for indigenously produced biomethane annually by 2030. A first step to realising this ambition was the publication of the National Biomethane Strategy which sets out 25 key strategic actions and outlines the necessary supports needed to drive growth across the biomethane sector....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Military Aircraft (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The carriage of munitions of war is prohibited on any civil aircraft in Irish sovereign territory, unless an exemption is granted by the Minister for Transport, as implemented in the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989. The powers to inspect aircraft are set out in Article 8 of the abovementioned orders, these provisions are...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The improvement and maintenance of regional and local roads is the statutory responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Works on these roads are funded from Councils’ own resources and supplemented by State Road grants. The initial selection and prioritisation of works to be funded is a matter for the local authority....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to rural public transport service provision; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Taxi Regulations (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulation of the small public service vehicle (SPSV) industry is a matter for the independent transport regulator, the National Transport Authority (NTA), under the provisions of the Consolidated Taxi Regulation Acts 2013 and 2016. Under Section 6(2) of this Act, An Garda Síochána is responsible for the granting of SPSV driver licences. I have no role in the day-to-day...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: As Minister or Transport, I can assure you that my Department is actively progressing the legislative proposals required to deliver on the Government’s commitment to establish a Transport Security Force and is working closely with the National Transport Authority (NTA) in this regard. This work involves careful and informed consideration of the most appropriate model for the force,...