Parliamentary questions

Coastal Protection

Ivana Bacik

121. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on his representations to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Councils in respect of the €2.97 million committed by his Department for the CARO in respect of coastal and marine sustainability and environmental health concerns pertaining to activity in Dublin Bay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52234/23]

Closed-Circuit Television Systems

Matt Carthy

122. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 28 September 2023, if he has reverted to the Local Government Management Agency with feedback on the draft Codes of Practice and Data Protection Impact Assessments in order to permit local authorities to install CCTV cameras in the vicinity of bottle banks and other waste collection locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52274/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Niall Collins

123. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can address the issue raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52275/23]

Energy Infrastructure

Mattie McGrath

124. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a comprehensive list of energy-generating stations in Ireland that are scheduled for closure; their closure timeline; including stations, if any, that have already closed or decommissioned; the fuel source serving each respective station; their respective energy-generating capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52277/23]

Energy Infrastructure

Mattie McGrath

125. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide the mapped locations and acreage around power stations scheduled for closure, decommissioned, and active; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52278/23]

Energy Infrastructure

Mattie McGrath

126. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a detailed breakdown of the entire infrastructure present at energy stations that are current, decommissioned and scheduled for closure; the types of facilities, equipment, and technologies employed in energy generation, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52279/23]

Climate Change Policy

Paul Kehoe

127. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applications for funding from the Climate Action Fund since the beginning of 2020; the nature of these applications; which of the applications were granted funding from the CAF, if any organisations at all received funding from the CAF; what proportion of these organisations were private sector and what proportion represented the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52286/23]

Energy Prices

Paul Kehoe

128. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the progress towards a solution to the problem of high energy prices at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52287/23]

Broadband Infrastructure

Holly Cairns

129. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated date for the roll-out of fibre broadband to (details supplied). [52563/23]

Electricity Supply Board

Thomas Pringle

130. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what engagement his Department has had with the ESB with regard to the purchase of coal from the Cerrejón mine in Colombia, in particular with regard to the human rights and environmental issues associated with the mine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52573/23]

Electric Vehicles

Eoin Ó Broin

157. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a breakdown of the models of electric vehicles with a full price of more than €60,000 that are on the SEAI's registers to qualify for support through tax incentive schemes; and for each model, to provide the full price of the vehicle, in tabular form. [51594/23]

Departmental Data

Eoin Ó Broin

158. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the final electricity demand from business, domestic sectors from 2019 to date in 2023, in tabular form. [51626/23]

Energy Conservation

Michael Lowry

159. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to review and address correspondence (details supplied) concerning operational inefficiencies in the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland's management of the support scheme for renewable heat, particularly the substantial delays in budget deployment and payment cycles for clients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51637/23]

Renewable Energy Generation

Pauline Tully

160. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if grants are available to install solar panels and wind turbines in domestic houses; to detail the criteria applied to these grants; and the timeframe within which it is expected these grants will remain in place. [51684/23]

Renewable Energy Generation

Darren O'Rourke

161. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what assessments of the existing barriers and potential of development of renewable energy communities have been conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51710/23]

Air Quality

Colm Burke

29. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will take the necessary steps to ensure the adoption of the 2021 World Health Organisation (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines as legally binding targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51491/23]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Brendan Griffin

30. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if ComReg will investigate the poor mobile coverage at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51203/23]

Data Centres

Eoin Ó Broin

31. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of islanded data centres that are already connected to the gas grid, those that contracted to connect, and those that are seeking contract to connect; and for each category to outline the amount of capacity involved, in tabular form. [51239/23]

Climate Change Policy

Eoin Ó Broin

32. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will respond to the recommendation of the Climate Change Advisory Council that the Government should take immediate action to amend the Gas Act 1976 as amended (details supplied). [51240/23]

Inland Fisheries

Anne Rabbitte

33. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the options available for funding for fishing stands along the river Shannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51241/23]

National Broadband Plan

Peadar Tóibín

34. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what percentage of Meath homes and businesses have benefitted from the roll-out of fibre broadband as part of the National Broadband Plan; of those that have yet to be reached, the predicted timeline before they are connected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51299/23]

Energy Conservation

Alan Kelly

35. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of homes at each pre-works BER ratings that achieved a B2 cost-optimum standard in each of the years 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [51343/23]

Energy Conservation

Alan Kelly

36. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of retrofits completed, per month, under the warmer homes scheme in 2023, in tabular form. [51344/23]

Inland Fisheries

Imelda Munster

37. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the hardship scheme for draft net fishing on the river Boyne is still open for applicants; if the scheme has been updated in any form; if he will provide details of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51358/23]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

38. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications why the appropriate assessment screening document as legally required under the EU Habitats Directive was not published by his officials in the Inland Fisheries Division for the draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2023 that went to public consultation on 16 November 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51455/23]

Inland Fisheries

Mairéad Farrell

39. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his inland fisheries division officials, in conjunction with the senior management team of Inland Fisheries Ireland, have any plans to reduce the number of blue gill tags from the accustomed ten gill tags that may be issued to individual salmon anglers on Lough Corrib SAC in 2024 considering the quota has reduced from 3,331 salmon to 1,938 salmon in twelve months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51456/23]

Climate Change Policy

Colm Burke

40. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will establish an inter-departmental working group with a specific focus on the health co-benefits of working towards the GHG emission targets for 2030, as specified in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51492/23]

Climate Change Policy

Colm Burke

41. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to add public health to the list of relevant areas of expertise to be considered by him in making appointments to the Climate Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51495/23]

Air Quality

Colm Burke

42. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to allocate additional resources to local authorities for the monitoring and enforcement of existing air quality legislation and to take the necessary steps to increase penalties for breaches of the forgoing legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51496/23]

Air Quality

Colm Burke

43. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will liaise with hiscounterpart in Northern Ireland to develop an all-island air strategy in order to further establish a statutory alignment of air quality legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51497/23]

Energy Policy

Darren O'Rourke

44. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if Ireland plans to withdraw from the energy charter treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51250/23]

Environmental Policy

Ivana Bacik

104. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to improve repair and recycle services, respectively, in local authorities. [50776/23]

Illegal Dumping

Cian O'Callaghan

105. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of his Department’s work regarding the new codes and guidelines for monitoring illegal dumping drafted by the Local Government Management Agency; when the new codes and guidelines will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50597/23]

Broadband Infrastructure

Dara Calleary

106. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the options available to a sports club (details supplied) in County Mayo seeking a fibre broadband connection when civil works have been deemed over budget; if he will intervene in this matter and insist on the works being carried out to facilitate this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50671/23]

Climate Change Policy

Ged Nash

107. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the review of the Climate Adaptation Framework will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50725/23]

Broadband Infrastructure

Paul McAuliffe

108. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what provision can be made for a community (details supplied) that does not have access to fibre-optic broadband to each home on the road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50744/23]

Environmental Policy

Ivana Bacik

109. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the right to repair measures set out in the European Commission Circular Economy Action Plan; if his Department will implement any of the proposals contained therein, regardless of the passage of European Union legislation on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50778/23]

Cybersecurity Policy

Louise O'Reilly

110. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how many staff members in his Department have received training in cyber security in the past three years; what types of cyber security training programmes have been conducted; if he will provide details of these programmes; and of the staff trained in cyber security, how many have obtained accredited cyber security qualifications. [50796/23]

Departmental Expenditure

Louise O'Reilly

111. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the expenditure on cyber security consultants and companies within his Department in the past three years; if his Department engaged in cyber security audits with outside firms in the past three years; if so, the expenditure on same; the amount his Department spent on cyber security consultants and companies in the past three years; and for a breakdown of these expenditures by year and type of service provided [50814/23]

Departmental Contracts

Louise O'Reilly

112. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are any ongoing contracts or commitments with cyber security firms; and if details can be provided [50832/23]

Cybersecurity Policy

Louise O'Reilly

113. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has a policy and plan in place to address a ransomware attack and restore his Department's IT systems. [50850/23]

Renewable Energy Generation

Darren O'Rourke

114. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of progress on regional renewable electricity strategies; the consideration being made for their development; the date on which they will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50866/23]

Environmental Policy

Ivana Bacik

115. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to introduce a deposit return schemes for coffee cups and other beverage containers; and his plans to ban single-use coffee cups. [50957/23]

Departmental Contracts

Paul Murphy

116. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has any current contracts with any Israeli state agency, any Israeli-based company or any company based elsewhere in the world which is owned or part-owned by any Israeli state agency or by any Israeli-based company; and if so, the value of those contracts. [51043/23]

Departmental Data

Paul Murphy

117. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department or any of its agencies are involved in any exercise, operation, training or research which includes involvement by any Israeli state agency, any Israeli-based company or any company based elsewhere in the world which is owned or part-owned by any Israeli state agency or by any Israeli-based company. [51061/23]

Environmental Policy

David Stanton

118. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline Government policy with respect to the development of anaerobic digesters to produce renewable energy from slurry and other such material; if he has communicated any such policy to the respective local authorities; the supports, if any, that he has put in place to encourage the construction of anaerobic digesters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51120/23]

Budget 2024

Róisín Shortall

119. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the figure provided by his Department to maintain existing levels of service in 2024, under his respective remits ahead of Budget 2024; the figure granted by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51177/23]

Electricity Grid

Niamh Smyth

8. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the roll-out of smart metres in Ireland; if it is a requirement now to have one in order to install solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50004/23]

Illegal Dumping

Niamh Smyth

12. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures being taken to combat illegal dumping; if extra resources are being given to counties Cavan and Monaghan local authorities to cope with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50027/23]

National Broadband Plan

Éamon Ó Cuív

14. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if it is his intention to enter into negotiations with National Broadband Ireland to ensure that all offshore islands are provided with a fibre connection to the mainland as part of the roll-out of the national broadband programme, to ensure equality of service for islanders in this vital service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49996/23]