Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Local Authorities

Ivana Bacik

87. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a noise abatement order under Section 108 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 is granted; what responsibility does the EPA have to enforce it; and what actions it can take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11672/24]

Energy Conservation

Sean Fleming

88. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when loans will be available under the home energy upgrade loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11750/24]

Recycling Policy

Paul Donnelly

90. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update and report on the return deposit scheme; the number of stores that are up and running; and the uptake by consumers. [11836/24]

Recycling Policy

Paul Donnelly

91. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in a case where bottles or cans are rejected by the return deposit scheme machine, but have the valid logo, if stores are obliged to take these items manually and issue a refund to the consumer. [11837/24]

Recycling Policy

Paul Donnelly

92. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in the case where abottle or can is not accepted or not returned, if the deposit stays with the retailer. [11838/24]

Telecommunications Services

Thomas Pringle

93. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has had any policy discussions with ComReg to encourage telecommunications providers to introduce social broadband and phone tariffs similar to those that many of the same companies offer in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11905/24]

Energy Conservation

Denis Naughten

94. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what monies were allocated to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) residential and community retrofit scheme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11912/24]

Energy Conservation

Joe Carey

95. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he expects the details of the low-cost loan scheme for home retrofits to be finalised and announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11994/24]

Departmental Meetings

David Stanton

96. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the presence he or his Departmental officials will have at the Wind Europe annual event in Bilbao, Spain from 20-22 March 2024; his Department’s proposed contribution to the event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12003/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Fergus O'Dowd

97. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration will be given to the introduction of a public subsidy where an estate in a town or urban area for which it is uncommercial for operators to service high speed broadband due to infrastructure deficits, which operators can tender for, which provides funding to bridge the gap between the excess cost in rolling out to such estates and the commercial cut off point that is, the point at which it is uncommercial for an operator to serve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12044/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Fergus O'Dowd

98. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a response will issue to concerns raised by a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12052/24]

EU Directives

Steven Matthews

99. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans regarding the transposition of the requirements of the Revised Renewable Energy Directive, with particular focus on the delivery of the specified planning and permitting timescales, in view of recommendation 7 in the recent European Commission assessment of the draft updated National Energy and Climate Plan of Ireland for 2021-2030 (NECP); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12062/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Brendan Smith

100. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will give consideration to the issues outlined in correspondence concerning prices for broadband and mobile network services (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12092/24]

Inland Fisheries

Alan Dillon

101. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications where within the Inland Fisheries Act 2010 it stipulates the procedures for appointing a deputy or interim CEO; the date on which he was consulted regarding the appointment of a deputy CEO; the reason the current CEO requires a deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12094/24]

Inland Fisheries

Alan Dillon

102. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the reason Inland Fisheries Ireland needed to convene an emergency board meeting on 6 March 2024; if he will share the minutes from this meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12095/24]

Inland Fisheries

Catherine Murphy

103. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the date on which IFI undertook a study of sea trout and salmon stocks that use the river systems of the Dargle, Vartry and Avoca; the plans that IFI has to replenish stocks and or provide conservation for stocks; and if he will outline any concerns IFI has in respect of stocks of those species in the named river systems. [12146/24]

Energy Conservation

James Lawless

104. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details and commencement date for the low-cost home energy upgrade loan scheme that was announced in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12198/24]

Climate Change Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

105. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures which are currently being undertaken to identify and implement strategies that will assist in reducing Ireland's carbon footprint in regard to future decisions on public procurement contracts across all areas and public bodies, including targeted timelines for implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12208/24]

Climate Change Policy

Fergus O'Dowd

106. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to identify any and all grant supports for new businesses building new premises that wish to make their sites carbon neutral and avoid fossil fuel energy sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12212/24]

Data Centres

Alan Dillon

107. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide clarity on the extent to which his Department has implemented a moratorium on additional data centres in the Dublin region; if the west of Ireland is included in this moratorium; to extent to which his Department has placed a moratorium on new data centres; the conditions or criteria his Department is utilising to evaluate data centre proposals during this moratorium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12333/24]

Departmental Staff

Catherine Murphy

108. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of exit and or severance and or redundancy packages granted by his Department, and bodies under his aegis and of bodies he funds in full or in part, of €100,000 and above but less that €200,000, by the amount and by each body in each of the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024. [12348/24]

Legislative Measures

Steven Matthews

109. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the wording of the plastic bag levy legislation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12447/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Darren O'Rourke

110. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he aware a case (details supplied) in relation to broadband; the reasons that the connection was not extended to include the additional homes; if there are any plans to extend the fibre connection to include additional homes; what measures he taking to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12462/24]

Post Office Network

Paul Murphy

111. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the number and locations of post offices run directly by An Post; and the number franchised out to postmasters. [12523/24]

Recycling Policy

John Lahart

112. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the latte levy on disposable cups will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12535/24]

Energy Conservation

Frankie Feighan

113. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline any further details regarding the new low interest retrofit loans for homeowners scheme which was announced in October 2023 and due to be in place by February 2024 (details supplied); can he confirm these details and make a further statement on the timing and details of this initiative. [12593/24]

Renewable Energy Generation

Alan Dillon

114. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what measures are being taken to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12641/24]

Energy Prices

Robert Troy

115. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of any omissions by the electric supply company in terms of customers receiving the correct energy credits; and if he will seek a report from the electricity supply companies in terms of any omissions and whether they have been rectified. [12682/24]

Recycling Policy

Darren O'Rourke

116. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware that the Houses of the Oireachtas have been granted an exemption (details supplied) as part of the deposit return scheme; the reasoning for this; if he plans to seek a reversal to this exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12710/24]

Departmental Funding

Robert Troy

117. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will publish a list of the NGOs funded by his Department; and the level the funding each NGO received in the past three years, in tabular form. [12718/24]

Departmental Meetings

Carol Nolan

118. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of engagements, including online meetings, webinars, briefings and in-person meetings that he or officials from his Department and bodies under the aegis of his Department have had with an organisation (details supplied) including its representatives from 1 January 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12738/24]

Electricity Grid

Cathal Crowe

119. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has had discussions with the CRU on the possibility of adding a second annual application window for the Enduring Connections Process. [12812/24]

Electricity Grid

Michael Moynihan

120. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if there are plans to upgrade the grid in order that the limits for peak export from single-phase connections and three-phase connections can be increased. [12821/24]

Electricity Grid

Catherine Murphy

121. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has been consulted by and or if he has engaged with the CRU in respect of the establishment of a second annual application window for renewable energy projects to connect to the electricity grid; if his attention has been drawn to a petition in respect of same and his views on same. [12840/24]

Climate Change Policy

Claire Kerrane

122. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will advise on measures to provide due regard to the special economic and social role of agriculture with regard to the distinct characteristics of biogenic methane; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12860/24]

Energy Conservation

Darren O'Rourke

123. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the retrofitting of solid fuel homes; how many solid fuel homes were retrofitted; how many solid fuels homes have been retrofitted with solid fuel boilers in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, broken down per SEAI scheme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12952/24]

Broadband Infrastructure

Robert Troy

124. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on the provision of fibre broadband to a property (details supplied). [13100/24]

Litter Pollution

Patrick Costello

125. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for a breakdown of the amount of funding drawn down by each local authority from the anti-litter and anti-graffiti awareness grant scheme in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13133/24]

Public Private Partnerships

Rose Conway-Walsh

126. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide details on all planned PPP projects and ongoing PPP contracts; the status of each project; the anticipated or known capital cost; the anticipated or known cost to the Exchequer over the lifetime of the contracts; the annual total payment of PPP unitary charges and the percentage share of the total capital budget for his Department and all public bodies under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13194/24]

An Garda Síochána

Carol Nolan

127. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department has had the need to contact An Garda Síochána due to verbal, written (including electronically) or physical threats being addressed to staff or Ministers, at any level, working within the Department during the period 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11590/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

128. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the acquisition of Airbus C295W; the expected delivery date; if the aircraft will have the capacity to participate in humanitarian air drops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11967/24]

United Nations

Matt Carthy

129. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware of media reports in relation to civilians in Beirut detaining a UNIFIL vehicle which while conducting routine logistical movements transited on an unplanned route resulting in the confiscation of equipment and peacekeepers being detained and transferred to Hezbollah; if he will report on same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11969/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

130. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the implications of an increased retirement in the Defence Forces; his considerations in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11970/24]

Diplomatic Representation

Matt Carthy

131. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 17 January 2024, the status of the project aiming to explore the establishment of a defence attaché network; if he has received the report and its findings; if the report will be published; any arising related timelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11972/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

132. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the nomination of Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces to the position of Chair of the European Union Military Committee; the implications of the Chief of Staff being successfully elected, including with regard to support staff; when the election is due to be held and the duration of the term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12080/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

133. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on the work of the European Union Military Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12081/24]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

134. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the specific equipment for the Army, Naval Service and Aer Corps that he expects to acquire in 2024; the specific capital allocated to each acquisition in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12275/24]

Departmental Staff

Catherine Murphy

135. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of exit and or severance and or redundancy packages granted by his Department, and bodies under his aegis and of bodies he funds in full or in part, of €100,000 and above but less that €200,000, by the amount and by each body in each of the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024. [12345/24]

Defence Forces

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

136. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of vacancies by rank in the Defence Forces School of Music as of 11 March 2024; the timeframe within each of those vacancies will be filled, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12568/24]

Defence Forces

Thomas Pringle

137. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the locations around the country where military personnel from Ukraine have been trained by the Defence Forces; when the training took place; the number involved; the type of training provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12625/24]