Written Answers Nos. 64-74
64. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what actions he has taken to work with like-minded European States to promote and support changes to European energy laws, in particular the revision of the European Union's Gas Directive and Gas Regulation in order to allow the importation of fracked gas to be restricted since the publication of the Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas. [3115/24]
View answerIreland has been engaging with like-minded European States to promote and support changes to European energy laws in order to allow the importation of fracked gas to be restricted, as stated in the Government Policy Statement on Fracked Gas from 2021. The issue of importation of fracked gas, while a key consideration in the negotiation of the European Gas Directive and Regulation, has been addressed in the European Methane Regulation, which was agreed by the European Parliament and Council on November 15th 2023.
Ireland and other likeminded EU member states supported new measures introduced in this legislation addressing methane emissions occurring outside the EU. These measures set out to gather evidence on natural gas based on lifecycle emissions in order to promote the reduction of harmful emissions, which is in line with the national policy on fracked gas.
65. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed. [3155/24]
View answerAs part of Budget 2024 the Government approved a new tranche of Electricity Credits which over 2.2 million households will benefit from -- worth €450 in total per household.
Three payments of €150 (including VAT) are being made between December 2023 and April 2024. The payments are being applied automatically. Households do not need to apply for it, nor do they need to contact their electricity supplier.
The payments are being applied to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2).
Under Scheme III, usage levels are assessed to ensure that payments are withheld in relation to low usage electricity accounts identified by the distribution system operator, to prevent the payment from being applied to vacant houses.
ESB Networks identified accounts which consumed less than 150 kilowatt hours of electricity per quarter for four consecutive quarters between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. If a domestic electricity account identified by ESB Networks on the effective date in respect of each payment, is flagged as a low usage account, it will not be allocated a payment for that payment period. The payment will not be withheld for accounts with a financial hardship meter, accounts held by registered as a vulnerable customer or accounts which have low usage due to the exporting of energy to the grid through microgeneration.
The Scheme allows for review by a customer’s electricity supplier, if contacted by a customer who has not received the payment. The Supplier will be able to review this and apply the payment if the customer is; a registered vulnerable customer, is eligible to be on the vulnerable customer register, or has a financial hardship meter. The customer can seek further review by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which has oversight of the Scheme, following the decision of the electricity supplier.
66. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify the legal obligation on post and parcel delivery services to certify parcel delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3174/24]
View answerThe Registered mail service is provided as part of An Post’s role under the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and carries an obligation to service users to provide ‘certified delivery’.
It is for parcel service providers other than An Post to comment on their own legal obligations.
67. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the work of the Just Transition Commission; and the number meetings of the Commission in 2023. [3191/24]
View answer72. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 83 of 28 September 2023, for an update on the work of the Just Transition Taskforce; if he has received any interim reports from the taskforce to-date; if he has received the final report of the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3319/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 72 together.
The Government is committed to a just transition in order to ensure that nobody is left behind as Ireland transitions to a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050 in line with the National Climate Objective. Climate Action Plan 2023 also committed to the establishment a Just Transition Commission to provide advice to the Government on how to ensure a just transition.
In September 2023, I established a Just Transition Taskforce to make recommendations to me on the establishment of a Just Transition Commission. The Taskforce is comprised of representatives of the key social dialogue pillars (employers, trade unions, farming groups, social NGOs, and environmental NGOs), as well as the National Economic and Social Council and relevant Government Departments.
I have asked the Taskforce to report to me in the first quarter of this year with its advice and recommendations regarding the establishment of a Just Transition Commission, in line with the proposed mandate set out in Climate Action Plan 2023.
To develop these recommendations, the Taskforce has held a number of meetings to date to consider a range of issues, including the proposed mandate, structure and membership of a Just Transition Commission. The terms of reference and minutes of previous Taskforce meetings are available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/e3666-just-transition-taskforce/.
68. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if an Eircode will be assigned to a house in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3201/24]
View answerCapita Business Support Services Ireland, trading as Eircode, assigns Eircodes to new property addresses using a valid postal address and verified geo-locations. An Post collects information on all new and existing buildings, as well as changes to existing addresses and Tailte Éireann (formerly Ordnance Survey Ireland) provides the geo-locations for these buildings. An Post GeoDirectory (APG), a subsidiary company of An Post and Tailte Éireann, issue a new release of database files monthly to Capita in accordance with their revised licence agreement.
Tailte Éireann confirmed that the property in question has a verified geo-location and An Post have informed my officials they will liaise directly with the individual regarding the assignment of a verified postal address for this property. The updated information will then be included in the database files supplied to Capita from APG. Meanwhile, Capita have advised they have been in direct contact with the individual and will continue to monitor the case, reverting to them with updates as soon as further information is available.
In recognition of the fact that earlier assignment of Eircodes for new builds is desirable, Capita have now reduced the timeframe to assign Eircodes from quarterly to a monthly basis. All new Eircodes will be published on the free to use Eircode Finder website, a notification letter will be issued to the property occupant containing the new Eircode and an updated Eircode Database files will be provided to licenced businesses for their use. The average number of Eircodes assigned to new properties on a monthly basis is currently c.3,693.
69. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide figures for the number of staff directly employed in his Department who work from home/remotely as part of their working week; the percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week; the number of working hours on average per week that staff in his Department work from home; the gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely; if they will provide the figures for 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3236/24]
View answerThe number of staff directly employed in my Department who work from home/remotely is set out in the table below:
|
Current Overview |
||
|
Number of staff directly employed in his Department who work from home/remotely as part of their working week |
650 |
|
|
The percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week |
96% |
|
|
The number of working hours on average per week that staff in his Department work from home |
21 |
|
|
The gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely |
345 |
Male |
|
|
305 |
Female
|
|
2022 Overview |
||
|
Number of staff directly employed in his Department who work from home/remotely as part of their working week |
523 |
|
|
The percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week |
97% |
|
|
The number of working hours on average per week that staff in his Department work from home |
21 |
|
|
The gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely |
279 |
Male |
|
|
244 |
Female |
|
|
|
|
|
2023 Overview |
||
|
Number of staff directly employed in his Department who work from home/remotely as part of their working week |
645 |
|
|
The percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week |
96% |
|
|
The number of working hours on average per week that staff in his Department work from home |
21 |
|
|
The gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely |
341 |
Male |
|
|
304 |
Female |
70. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide figures for the number of staff directly employed in agencies and bodies directly under his aegis who work from home/remotely as part of their working week; the percentage of staff on an overall basis who work from home at least one day a week; the number of working hours on average per week that staff in relevant agencies and bodies work from home; the gender breakdown of those who avail of the opportunity to work from home/remotely; if he will provide the figures for 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3254/24]
View answerThe information requested in relation to the bodies under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each body. My Department will request the relevant bodies to reply directly to the Deputy with the information requested in respect of their organisations.
71. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what engagement he has had with electric energy providers for domestic users in ensuring further domestic electric cost reductions, given the recent figures on energy provided by wind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3318/24]
View answerElectricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime wherein these markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive with the market being overseen by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Wholesale energy prices reached peak levels in August of 2022, when wholesale gas prices were 706% higher than January 2021, while wholesale electricity prices had increased by 463%. While wholesale gas prices have fallen substantially and are currently well below their peak values, they are still trading significantly above their pre-pandemic levels.
Ireland faces particular challenges in this regard as we are a price taker on international markets and Irish electricity and gas prices have historically been affected by long standing drivers such as geographical isolation and low levels of interconnection comparable to Europe, dispersed population, fossil fuel dependency and small market scale.
The effect of falling wholesale prices is now being seen in household energy bills. Since December, several major suppliers have announced reductions of up to 12.8% on standard unit rates. This is in addition to price drops of between 9 and 30% introduced in Autumn 2023 by suppliers who make approximately 98% of the retail electricity market in Ireland and 98% of the retail gas market.
As Minister I meet with a range of stakeholders on important topics including energy prices. This includes energy suppliers. In addition to my interactions, my officials meet with suppliers on a regular basis and a key message to them is the critical importance of ensuring that lower wholesale prices result in lower household bills.
73. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 84 of 28 September 2023, the status of the development of the updated long-term strategy on greenhouse gas emissions reductions; the timeline for the publication of the updated strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3320/24]
View answerIreland’s Long-term Strategy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions was approved by Government in April 2023 and subsequently published on gov.ie.
In my response to your Parliamentary Question No. 84 of 28 September 2023 I indicated that my Department was undertaking work to prepare an updated strategy, following an extensive public consultation and concurrent consultation with Government Ministers and the Climate Change Advisory Council. In addition, my Department enlisted analytical support to evaluate and identify the optimal emissions reduction pathways for Ireland to 2050. While my officials were working towards the end of 2023 for completion, it is important to ensure that the Strategy aligns with the latest climate data and projections and with the detailed pathways to 2030 set out in Climate Action Plan 2024, published 20 December 2023. As such, the Strategy will now be finalised in Q1 2024.
The updated Strategy will be the first national long-term climate strategy to be prepared in line with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Acts 2015 to 2021. As the updated Strategy will conform to both EU and national requirements, the updated Strategy will also be submitted to the EU Commission and UNFCCC to update Ireland's current Strategy.
74. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what options are available to home bound individuals, who get their food shopping delivered to their home, to return their recyclable items under the deposit return scheme. [3342/24]
View answerA national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is being introduced to encourage more people to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans and to ensure we meet ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those containers under Single Use Plastics legislation.
DRS primarily operates on a return-to-retail model, where consumers bring empty containers to recoup their deposit. Under the DRS Regulations, retailers are obliged to provide a take-back facility and to ensure that the facility is accessible to all customers. It is my understanding that retailers who provide home delivery services will support their customers who need assistance in returning containers.
Furthermore, Re-turn, the DRS operator, has committed to continually review accessibility practices considering the needs of consumers and this includes the early convening of a consultative group to ensure the concerns of all parties, in particular those with accessibility challenges, are heard and addressed.
