Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

National Broadband Plan

Niamh Smyth

119. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the rollout of high-speed broadband in Cavan and Monaghan. [21323/24]

Grant Payments

Darren O'Rourke

120. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the reason a person (details supplied) did not qualify for a home heating upgrade as part of the SEAI's warmer homer scheme despite being an eligible applicant and having a suitable household; if there is sufficient scope to appeal the decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21406/24]

Energy Conservation

Richard O'Donoghue

121. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on whether BER assessors are more than qualified to provide the home energy assessment required for the home energy upgrade loans scheme, and that excluding domestic BER assessors that are not on the SEAI technical assessors panel is anti-competitive and restricts choice to the homeowner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21529/24]

Energy Conservation

Richard O'Donoghue

122. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will change the policy preventing BER assessors that do not have a background in a few select professions from joining the SEAI technical assessors panel, and instruct the SEAI to immediately invite and approve applications to the technical assessor panel from those experienced BER assessors that are ten years or longer registered with the SEAI as domestic assessors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21530/24]

Illegal Dumping

Thomas Gould

123. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications whether consideration has been given to the establishment of a dumping taskforce in Cork city. [21616/24]

National Broadband Plan

Thomas Gould

124. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update on the National Broadband Plan in Cork. [21617/24]

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Rose Conway-Walsh

125. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the role he has in ensuring with ComReg that phone signal is delivered across the State and addressing black spots that continue impact on connectivity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21621/24]

Electricity Grid

Rose Conway-Walsh

126. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the role he has in ensuring with Eirgrid that grid infrastructure investment is sufficient to support a green transition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21622/24]

Departmental Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

127. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applications received under the warmer homes scheme since its announcement; the number of homes completed in the country; the number of applications received in County Meath, by year, since 2020, in tabular form; the number of homes that have been completed under the scheme in Meath, by year, since 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21627/24]

Departmental Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

128. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applications waiting to be approved under the warmer homes scheme; the current average wait time for applications; the number of approvals, per month, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; the number of approvals, per year, since 2020, in tabular form; the average cost, per grant, per year, since 2020, in tabular form; the efforts that are being made to reduce the wait times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21628/24]

Employment Rights

Ged Nash

129. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if any State, semi-State or commercial semi-State agency under the aegis of their Department is aware of any cases of bogus self-employment in any bodies under their remit from 2020 to 1 May 2024; if they will outline if there are currently any cases from such agencies or bodies currently before the SCOPE section of the Department of Social Protection for investigation or determination; if there are any SCOPE findings and recommendations relating to any agencies or bodies under their remit where SCOPE has found in favour of the worker, and where they recommended the reclassification of the workers’ employment status to that of direct employee between 2020 and 1 May 2024; if they will provide information on the numbers involved and the names of the individual agencies and bodies in all cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21690/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Denis Naughten

130. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason homes built before 2021 are eligible to apply for a rooftop solar panel grant but not homes constructed since that date; his plans to review same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21795/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Bernard Durkan

131. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps he can take to speed up the provision of broadband services through the medium of fibre-optics throughout County Kildare, with particular reference to known blackspots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21831/24]

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Bernard Durkan

132. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which each sector in the economy can contribute to greenhouse gas reduction over the next five years without negatively impacting on economic output; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21832/24]

Environmental Policy

Bernard Durkan

133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which his Department has examined the fullest possible extent to which all measures to offset the impact of meeting such targets on industry, sector by sector, with particular reference to the need to avoid permanent damage to the economy while at the same time meeting carbon reduction targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21833/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Bernard Durkan

134. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which his Department continues to explore electricity generation from non-fossil fuels by way of wind, wave or solar; the full extent of the investment to date in each element of the sector; the degree to which he expects such investment to materialise in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21835/24]

Telecommunications Services

Bernard Durkan

135. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which mobile telephone services remain good when compared with other European Union or adjoining countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21836/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Bernard Durkan

136. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the provision of broadband continues to meet targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21837/24]

Waste Management

Bernard Durkan

137. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which the national waste management plan continues to address the relevant issues, with particular reference to reduction, reuse and recycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21838/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Bernard Durkan

138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the degree to which investment in wind turbines that are capable of producing electricity in the short term can be funded as a matter of urgency, with particular reference to the dependency of Ireland and Europe on imported fuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21839/24]

Electricity Generation

Bernard Durkan

139. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which electricity generation and production costs here are in line with those in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21840/24]

Departmental Advertising

Carol Nolan

140. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the total costs incurred by his Department from 2019 to date relating to the placing of advertisements in print media; the names of the print media publications involved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21863/24]

Air Quality

Ivana Bacik

141. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the Government’s clean air strategy. [21908/24]

Environmental Policy

Ivana Bacik

142. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will make a statement on the waste and circular economy action plan. [21909/24]

Environmental Policy

Ivana Bacik

143. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will make a statement on the circular economy unit in Government. [21910/24]

Air Quality

Michael Healy-Rae

138. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address the concerns of a local residents’ group in County Kerry (details supplied). [20948/24]

Climate Change Policy

Patrick Costello

139. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the timeline for publication of the revised national adaptation framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21114/24]

Departmental Expenditure

Neasa Hourigan

140. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department for each of the years 2019 to 2024, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [21168/24]

Local Authorities

Michael Healy-Rae

77. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an update on a local authority matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20177/24]

Departmental Funding

Jackie Cahill

78. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the types of funding that would be available to an association (details supplied) in County Tipperary in order to provide necessary insulation for the association’s properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20199/24]

Departmental Staff

Carol Nolan

79. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of employees within his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations; to outline, in tabular form, the length of time these employees have been under suspension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20313/24]

EU Programmes

Matt Carthy

80. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the EU programmes or funds outside of the multiannual financial framework that Ireland has paid into from the year 2014 to date; any receipts from same, by programme or fund, by year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20354/24]

Departmental Correspondence

Patrick Costello

81. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has received correspondence dated 29 April 2024 in respect of the Gearagh; and if he can respond to the points raised. [20388/24]

Recycling Policy

Richard Bruton

82. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the requirement of having the deposit return logo on a can for recycling is really necessary if each item can be traced by the barcode alone; and if he will comment on the claim that this is an unnecessary restriction on trade. [20429/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

83. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the SEAI retrofitting schemes; to report to on the process through which a contractor is registered with the SEAI as part of their various retrofitting schemes; what the requirements are for contractors to become registered with the SEAI; what insurance and other documentation must they have; how often is this documentation rechecked; what responsibility does the SEAI take for works completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20553/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

84. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the SEAI retrofitting schemes; to report on the process through which BERs are accessed pre-works per scheme; to report on the process through which BERs are assessed post-works per scheme; does the SEAI sign off on works completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20554/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

85. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to heat pump installations as part of the SEAI’s retrofitting scheme; if he is aware of instances where heat pumps are installed incorrectly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20555/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

86. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to heat pumps as part of the SEAI’s retrofitting scheme; the measures he is taking to ensure they are used correctly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20556/24]

Departmental Policies

Pádraig O'Sullivan

87. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he or his officials have given consideration to using money collected through the carbon tax and through the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Act 2023 to help tackle energy poverty in Ireland through measures such as the EnergyCloud initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20625/24]

Just Transition

Neasa Hourigan

88. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a timeline for when he will bring the Just Transition Taskforce's final report and recommendations forward for consideration by the Government; when the Just Transition Commission will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20680/24]

Electricity Grid

Chris Andrews

89. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he can intervene in the case of a person and award her the Government electricity credit (details supplied). [20688/24]

Wind Energy Generation

Darren O'Rourke

90. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on the offshore renewable energy future framework policy statement; when he anticipates this will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20707/24]

Wind Energy Generation

Darren O'Rourke

91. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on targets for floating offshore wind off the west coast; to provide a breakdown of targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050; how this compares to targets in Scotland; how this compares to targets in Britain and the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20708/24]

State Bodies

Peadar Tóibín

92. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of persons who have been made redundant by Bord na Móna in each of the past ten years and to date in 2024; if there are plans to make additional people redundant in the coming weeks and months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20787/24]

State Bodies

Peadar Tóibín

93. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of persons currently employed by Bord na Móna; and the average number employed in each of the past ten years. [20788/24]

Energy Conservation

Cian O'Callaghan

94. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has any plans to alter the structure of the SEAI retrofitting grant scheme to award the grants up front in order to provide security to homeowners around the process and incentivise uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20796/24]

EU Directives

Paul Kehoe

95. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline the projected fines to be imposed on Ireland by the European Commission between 2024 and 2030 for non-compliance with various directives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20842/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Paul Kehoe

96. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is considering a financial/subsidy response to allow the production of cost-competitive hydrogen through renewable energy, in view of recent announcements to do so by the UK and some of our European neighbouring countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20851/24]

Departmental Strategies

Paul Kehoe

97. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has a strategy to attract large-scale investments into the production of hydrogen in Ireland; how this industry can be competitive as well as to meet our legal and EU obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20852/24]

Data Centres

Róisín Shortall

98. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the location and number of data centres, broken down by local authority area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20878/24]