Results 1-20 of 1,145,983 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Peadar Tóibín OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Simon Coveney OR speaker:Brian Stanley OR speaker:Catherine Murphy OR speaker:Norma Foley OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Michael Ring OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Réada Cronin OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Ivana Bacik OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Cian O'Callaghan OR speaker:Charlie McConalogue OR speaker:Marian Harkin OR speaker:Bríd Smith OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Brendan Griffin OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Chris Andrews)

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the witnesses for their opening statements. I was a bit late to the meeting and may have missed something, so I apologise if I go over something that was already spoken about. With regard to the Office of Government Procurement, Ms Stewart spoke about guidance. This is probably following on from Deputy Bruton's question. Are there definitive rules as to what public bodies have to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Then there is the whether, something Deputy Bruton touched on - whether the public sector body has done it. When the public sector body writes and explains, is it to the Office of Government Procurement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Is that made public?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Any time an entity goes beyond the guidance, it will be there and reported on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: As regards the funding element of it, a lot of procurement is based on the price and that is the overarching criteria. If someone says they can meet a specific price, but I want a green procurement and it is going to cost more, is there an allowance given?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: A lot of public sector bodies must go with the cheapest price, however.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Great. I thank Ms Stewart. I will ask the SEAI a question. I met Mr. Walsh last week in County Wicklow where Bray fire station is the first county building to be fully decarbonised. It is a very positive project. I understand that was funded under the pathfinder project for Wicklow County Council. That is really welcome. In the work SEAI is doing, is consideration given to the fact...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: I have looked through the SEAI's report. I want to drill down into one of the figures that is really jumping out at me concerning the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I have looked at the data, and I perhaps I am reading this incorrectly, but the report states that the Department's fossil CO2 emissions have increased by nearly 450% since the baseline, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Will Mr. Ryan be following up with that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: It looks like there is a trajectory where it is increasing over a number of years but where there is a quite a steep increase in the final year's data.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Yes. It jumped out at me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: When the SEAI is looking at different buildings, the energy demand and the potential for energy reductions, does it ever take into account nature-based solutions such as green buildings? I refer, for example, to having a grass roof or even vegetation on one wall. This has been proven to reduce energy demand by up to 60% in some instances. Is that something the SEAI looks at or is it purely...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Obviously, it has nature-positive benefits as well. Even from a leadership perspective, if it became more visible within our communities that public buildings had this kind of greening and use of nature as part of their design, other people would look at that and take it on board. There is a need to not look narrowly at these public buildings. These are community public buildings. If...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Perfect. I have a sort of random question. It was brought to me by a student doing the young scientist from St. Mary's in Arklow, Aoife O'Neill. She asked about kinetic flooring. I am not familiar with that technology. I do not know whether the witnesses have heard of it. Apparently Coldplay have used it to generate energy. She is wondering whether that is being considered. We were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: It is an early technology, I would imagine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Is Mr. Meally not aware of any research being done?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: That is brilliant. I will pass that on to her. I had never heard of it before. I obviously was not at the Coldplay concert.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: I think they had those as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Needs of Visually Impaired Students: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I thank the witnesses for coming in front of the committee. I will follow on from Deputy Hourigan’s questions. Ms Agbona explained her experience regarding the lunch break, the social side and transition year. It is powerful to hear this. It is good that we are having this conversation and that it is on the record of the committee. I thank her for that. I will start with a...