Parliamentary questions

Departmental Strategies

Darren O'Rourke

103. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when an updated statement of strategy for this Department will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14446/24]

Climate Change Policy

Christopher O'Sullivan

104. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding provided to each local authority under the Community Climate Action Programme; the projects within each local authority that have been funded under the Programme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14448/24]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

105. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his officials in the Inland Fisheries Division fully support the repugnant position of conserving and validating the presence of invasive/non-native freshwater fish such as pike in Lough Corrib SAC due to potential angling tourism revenue; if Fáilte Ireland has a veto over the application of the EU Habitats Directive when promoting catch and release angling for invasive/non-native freshwater fish present in Lough Corrib SAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14492/24]

Seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

106. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide cá mhéad uair a pléadh ina Roinn an Ghaeilge i bhforbairt Re-turn, agus cad iad na coinníollacha a leag sé síos lena chinntiú go mbeadh an Ghaeilge san áireamh i seirbhísí Re-turn.
[14595/24]

Seirbhísí trí Ghaeilge

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

107. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide cén fáth nach bhfuil an tseirbhís Re-turn ach i mBéarla amháin, i limistéir Ghaeltachta san áireamh, agus cén fáth gur theip ar Re-turn seirbhís as Gaeilge a chur ar fáil in aon ceann dá innill nó in aon chuid dá mhargaíocht in áit ar bith sa tír, agus an nglacann sé leis go bhfuil sé sin ag teacht salach ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla agus ar an gClár Rialtais maidir leis an nGaeilge a chur chun cinn, ina ngealltar limistéir Ghaeltachta a chosaint agus a chaomhnú lena chinntiú go mbeidh siad i gcroílár na teanga beo i gcónaí, agus cé na céimeanna atá á nglacadh aige chun an cás a cheartú [14596/24]

Inland Fisheries

Robert Troy

108. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current situation regarding the bye law banning the fishing of eels in the country which has not been renewed by the Minister since 2018; if the ban on eel fishing remains in place; and if not, if it is currently subject to review. [14617/24]

National Broadband Plan

Ged Nash

109. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the problems being experienced in areas such as Cherrybrook, Ardee, County Louth, where infrastructure/ducting deficits prevent homes from accessing commercial fibre broadband services through the recognised providers; if he will consider a 'gap funding' model to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14618/24]

Recycling Policy

Darren O'Rourke

110. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 7 March 2024, if he is aware that millions of euro have gone unclaimed as part of the deposit return scheme (details supplied); how much has gone unclaimed since the scheme first started; what these unclaimed funds will be used for; how the deposit return scheme is monitored and regulated; what measures he is taking to increase the number of bottles returned as part of the deposit return scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14632/24]

Recycling Policy

Peadar Tóibín

111. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there was any engagement with retailers and the hospitality sector prior to the introduction of the deposit return scheme on the additional card transaction charges and banking charge fees incurred as a percentage of the value of the transaction; if any analysis was conducted as to how much card merchants and banks will profit from the additional charges at the expense of the retail and hospitality sector; his plans to address this factor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14646/24]

Energy Conservation

Niamh Smyth

112. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to review correspondence regarding SEAI waiting times (details supplied); if he will address the points raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14675/24]

Mining Industry

Paul Murphy

113. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 5 March 2024, if, given that the December 2022 mining policy states that no damage may be done to the environment and its protection is “paramount”, he can cite any location where lithium has been mined without severe damage to the environment. [14684/24]

Mining Industry

Paul Murphy

114. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 5 March 2024, if he will comment on how, in its literature the company states that it will remove the settled rock sediment from the drilling site ‘for appropriate disposal’, by saying this acknowledges that its drilling has produced material which is now in a toxic or dangerous state - otherwise why should it have to be removed. [14685/24]

Mining Industry

Paul Murphy

115. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 5 March 2024, if he will assert that a drilling, two rigs working 12 hours a day, six days a week, will not damage the amenities (details supplied). [14686/24]

Mining Industry

Paul Murphy

116. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 5 March 2024, if, given that in the response he mentions “working with Member States and stakeholders”, he considers that people who live and work in mining/prospecting areas are not stakeholders and that their water supply could be compromised. [14687/24]

Mining Industry

Paul Murphy

117. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 111 of 5 March 2024, the reason the Government is favouring the mining of lithium with its many problems over development of truly sustainable systems. [14688/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Darren O'Rourke

118. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the spending on programmes under subheading B4 as part of the revised estimates for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14703/24]

Wind Energy Generation

Seán Sherlock

119. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the current progress of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14724/24]

National Broadband Plan

Jennifer Whitmore

120. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the immediate measures that are in place to ensure that the residents of Ardee, and similar communities who are awaiting fibre broadband, are not left behind in our national effort towards digital inclusivity; how he plans to hold accountable those responsible for the delivery of these services; what measures are being implemented to prevent such discrepancies in broadband access in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14760/24]

Energy Conservation

Jennifer Whitmore

121. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update on the low-interest loans for retrofitting; when an interest rate will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14762/24]

Telecommunications Services

Marian Harkin

122. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he plans to introduce any restrictions in regard to the pricing model being used by broadband and mobile phone service providers who impose annual price rises that are linked to the rate of inflation, plus a certain set percentage, at the same time each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14768/24]