Written Answers Nos. 89-111
89. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for an update on challenging the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 in the context of the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29780/24]
View answerOn 17 January 2024, the Government filed an inter-State case against the United Kingdom with the European Court of Human Rights.
In its application, the Government argues that certain provisions of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 are incompatible with the United Kingdom’s obligations under the Convention, including Article 2 (right to life), Article 3 (the prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment), Article 6(1) (the right of access to a court), Article 13 (right to an effective remedy), and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination).
The 12-week period within which third parties may seek leave to intervene in this case expired on 2 May 2024. A relatively large number of intended third parties have sought leave to intervene in this case. The Court’s decision to grant this leave has not yet been made.
The first substantive step would be for the Court to consider the admissibility of the Government’s application. The Court will consult with the parties in due course with a view to fixing the procedure, which could be written or, by request, oral. The timing for this is a matter for the Court, but it will not be earlier than this autumn. The parties will be informed in due course of the composition of the Chamber of the Court which will examine this case.
The decision to initiate an inter-State case was not taken lightly. It was the only viable course of action after other efforts to effect meaningful change in the previous British Government's approach were unsuccessful.
In the lead up to the general election in the UK, the Labour party committed in their manifesto to repealing and replacing the Legacy Act, and returning to the principles of the Stormont House Agreement. I welcome that commitment. I spoke with the new Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn on July 5, and the Taoiseach spoke with PM Starmer on the same day. The issue of legacy featured in all three calls. The Government will work closely and with urgency with the British Government in the period to try to find a better way forward. Compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights and respecting the needs of victims will continue to be at the heart of the Government’s approach.
The case at the European Court of Human Rights has been taken on the basis of the Legacy Act as it currently stands. As the situation evolves, we will keep all options under review. A partnership approach between this Government and our UK counterparts will be essential moving forward.
90. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his engagement to date with his UK counterparts on Northern Ireland legacy issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29781/24]
View answerDeveloping an agreed approach on legacy which responds to the needs of victims is fundamental to progressing reconciliation in Northern Ireland, in the full spirit of concord that underpinned the Good Friday Agreement. Legacy issues, both specific cases, and the wider approach feature in all of my engagements with my UK counterparts. I also engage with victims' representatives and with Northern Ireland's political leaders on legacy issues.
As the Government has repeatedly made clear, the UK Legacy Act enacted last September is not fit for purpose, and this has been expressed consistently in engagements with British counterparts since the text of the Bill was introduced in May 2022.
It is the Government's view that this legislation is not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, something I raised with the previous Secretary of State for Northern Ireland multiple times, both in person and by phone.
I discussed the Legacy Act in engagements with Hilary Benn earlier this year, in his capacity as shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In the lead up to the recent general election in the UK, the Labour party committed in their manifesto to repealing and replacing the Legacy Act, and returning to the principles of the Stormont House Agreement. I welcome that commitment.
On July 5, I spoke with the new Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP and the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP. The Taoiseach spoke with Prime Minister Starmer on the same day. The issue of legacy featured in all three calls. I look forward to close engagement with the new British Government in the period to try to find a better way forward. Compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights and respecting the needs of victims will continue to be at the heart of the Government’s approach.
91. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs for an update on engagements and the current ongoing talks to ensure a ceasefire, and that unhindered humanitarian assistance is provided for the people of Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29782/24]
View answerI have been engaging intensively with EU Member States, partners in the region, the United States and other partners since the beginning of this crisis in Israel and Palestine. During all of these engagements I have conveyed the same message: there is an urgent need for a sustainable humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, with a significant and sustained scale-up of humanitarian supplies into Gaza. All of Ireland’s diplomatic efforts are focused on these core needs.
At the Foreign Affairs Council on 24 June, I reiterated Ireland’s core objectives. We can be sure that there exists a clear understanding of the perspective of Ireland and like-minded Member States across the EU system, and that the EU’s policy priorities similarly include an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and full, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance delivered at scale, in line with Ireland’s views. At the European Council on 27 June, Council Conclusions were negotiated and agreed, with Ireland’s core objectives as central elements.
Furthermore, following ongoing advocacy by Ireland for the EU to use all the levers at its disposal, there is now agreement for additional sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank and a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council to review Israel’s compliance with its human rights obligations. It is significant also that the EU is now reinforcing its cooperation with Arab partners on the basis of the Vision for Peace, which was presented by them to EU Ministers in May and I have been vocal in my support of.
It is also important that our efforts aimed at addressing the immediate crisis also lay the foundation for a pathway towards a sustainable peace in the long term. Ireland’s focus in this regard is on seeking to find a way to change the reality on the ground and to protect and encourage a peace process that can deliver a two-State solution.
92. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs when the new passport design will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29783/24]
View answerThe Irish passport is a vital document of the Irish State and currently allows for visa free access to 193 destinations. The current design is over 10 years old and the upcoming redesign is central to maintaining the integrity and reputation of the Irish passport.
As part of the redesign process, the Passport Service undertook a public consultation last year. The purpose of this consultation was to help inform design considerations, as well as help the public connect with the next generation passport.
My department received over 15,000 responses and these insights are now helping to inform the design. The top fauna and flora selected by the public were the Irish Wolfhound and the Shamrock. These species, along with wide selection of indigenous flora and fauna, will be central elements of the new design. The full results of the public consultation are available on www.ireland.ie /en/irish-passport-redesign-consultation-results/
The Passport Service is now working with secure document designers and artists to incorporate the top indigenous species from the consultation into a viable, highly secure and visually appealing passport design. An early sketch of the Wolfhound was released in March, marking an important step in transforming the publics input into a coherent passport design.
The conception of a passport design does not equate to the imminent launch of a new passport. The Passport Service is currently undertaking a procurement exercise to appoint a high-security vendor for the production of new passport books, passport cards and other related travel documents. This procurement is a highly complex and technical undertaking, which will take a number of further months to complete. The Passport Service intends to complete the procurement process before the end of 2024.
Once a vendor has been appointed, it will be possible for the Passport Service to provide an indicative timeline for release of the new passport design.
93. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to provide the number and detail of the public helplines operated by his Department; whether calls are recorded on each helpline; and if not, whether he would consider recording calls for transparency and training purposes. [29994/24]
View answerIn addition to its main telephone line, the Department of Foreign Affairs operates five dedicated public helplines and an out-of-hours emergency line so that citizens in Ireland and across the globe can seek emergency consular assistance.
The main telephone line of the Department is +353 1 408 2000. Outside of normal working hours, this telephone line operates as the out-of-hours emergency helpline to provide assistance to citizens requiring urgent consular assistance.
The Customer Service Hub of the Department, which covers enquiries regarding passports, foreign birth registration and consular matters, is also accessible via the Department of Foreign Affairs' general line. The Customer Service Hub can also be contacted directly.
The Passport Service Customer Service team is contactable on +353 1 671 1633 and via the WebChat service: www.ireland.ie/contactpassportservice/ from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. The Foreign Birth Registration service helpline is contactable on +353 1 568 3331. Calls and chats conducted on both of those lines are recorded for training and quality control purposes.
The Department's Consular Directorate operates a dedicated consular assistance helpline from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, contactable on +353 1 4082527. The Consular Directorate also operates a dedicated line for Authentication and Apostille services which operates from 09.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. every weekday on +353 1 408 2174 and a dedicated line every weekday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on 01 +353 1 408 2523 for Marriage Abroad queries.
Calls to the consular assistance helplines are not recorded but I assure the Deputy that the Consular Directorate regularly reviews its policies and guidelines on the provision of consular assistance to citizens and that officials of my Department working on these helplines receive regular training to ensure the delivery of high quality professional customer service to citizens and customers
Further contact details for my Department are available on the following gov.ie webpage: www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/3e828-contact-us/
94. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of warnings from an organisation (details supplied) that its members may raise prices for household recycling collection following the introduction of the deposit return scheme; the measures he is taking to prevent this; the actions he is taking to protect consumers from these prices hikes; to report on his engagement with industry to discuss the matter; the dates on which these meetings took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29089/24]
View answer95. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his engagement with the waste management industry in advance of the introduction of the deposit return scheme; if any understanding was developed with the industry that it would be insulated from losses following the introduction of the scheme (details supplied); if so, what the understanding included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29090/24]
View answer113. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his engagement with the domestic waste sector following the announcement of waste collection price hikes due to a reduction in revenue as a result of the deposit return scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29787/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 95 and 113 together.
The introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles and aluminium cans is one of the most positive consumer behaviour initiatives to happen in this country for decades – similar to the plastic bags initiative, or the ban on harmful cigarette smoke in our workplaces.
Every day now, over 3 million plastic bottles and cans are being returned by consumers themselves, which is remarkable and testament to the success of the initiative.
In developing the DRS, my Department engaged extensively with all stakeholders:
• The Department established a DRS sub-group of the national Waste Advisory Group with representatives from the producers, retailers, environmental NGOs and the waste sector. The minutes from those meetings are published on the Department’s gov.ie website.
• A public consultation was carried out in October 2020 on the potential models for a DRS. This consultation, along with copies of submissions received, has been published on the Department’s gov.ie website.
• A second public consultation was carried out in April 2021 on the proposed legislative framework and scope of the DRS. This consultation, along with copies of submissions received, has also been published on the Department’s gov.ie website.
Wider household waste collection in Ireland is mainly carried out by private companies – operating in a competitive market under a local authority permit system.
My Department is currently engaging with the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA) and other stakeholders such as REPAK – to quantify what substantive impact, if any, the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will have on the waste collection system in Ireland over the longer term.
96. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has engaged with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on the roll-out of the deposit return scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29091/24]
View answerMy Department has engaged with the CCPC in relation to the scheme design and operation of Deposit Return Scheme, both prior to and since the scheme was launched on the 1st February this year.
97. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 23 May 2024, if there has been any outcome or further correspondence from the SEAI with regard to his enquiry about further supports for households with properties currently deemed unsuitable for works under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29096/24]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) operates the Warmer Homes Scheme on behalf of my Department. Delivering free energy upgrades to lower-income households and reducing the waiting times for the Warmer Homes Scheme is a top priority for my Department and the SEAI. My officials continue to work with the SEAI to maximise and accelerate the output of free energy upgrades provided under this important scheme.
Budget 2024 allocated a record €210 million for this scheme which is delivering an average of 550 upgrades per month this year. At 860 upgrades, June 2024 saw the highest number of homes completed in a month under the scheme since it was expanded to provide deeper upgrades.
The scheme was expanded in 2018 to provide more extensive energy upgrades beyond attic and cavity measures including solid wall insulation and windows, with the aim of improving thermal comfort for vulnerable householders. Prior to then approximately 40% of eligible homes were excluded from receiving works under the scheme due to the restriction of measures available. Since this change the share of eligible homes not receiving works has decreased to c.15%. It is important to note that this figure includes: homes that may have previously received works under the scheme; homes that are already at a certain level of efficiency and do not require further works of the type provided by the scheme; and homes where applications are cancelled on instruction from the applicant.
My Department is working with the SEAI to determine whether additional mechanisms could be introduced to further reduce the number of cancelled applications. This is currently being examined in the context of the next Energy Poverty Action Plan.
98. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 99 and 100 of 25 June 2024, to report on the meetings that took place on 28 February, 16 April and 15 May 2024; to provide a breakdown of all attendees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29122/24]
View answer99. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 99 and 100 of 25 June 2024, if the steering group considered the impact of the deposit return scheme on the pricing structures for household waste collection. [29124/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together.
Meetings of the project steering committee have been chaired by the National Waste Collection Permit Office (NWCPO) with attendees from my Department, the local government sector, the Environmental Protection Agency and the research consultancy engaged by the NWCPO to conduct the project. The meetings to date have consisted of progress updates from the research consultancy, discussions on engagements with relevant stakeholders and agreement on next steps.
100. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if persons (details supplied) can avail of a grant for a new home heating system and outside insulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29136/24]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. The schemes offer grants for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy upgrades for people at risk of energy poverty.
The Better Energy Homes Scheme allows homeowners to take a step-by-step approach or self-manage the project, while the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One-Stop-Shop scheme) and the Community Energy Grant Scheme are aimed towards homeowners wishing to undertake a whole home energy upgrade to achieve a BER of at least B2 with a minimum primary energy uplift of at least 100 kWh/m2/year. The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low-income homeowners who are vulnerable to energy poverty. Further details on range of schemes and the grants supports available can be found at:
www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/.
Under the Better Energy Homes Scheme, grant support of up to €8,000 is available for external wall insulation for a detached house with €6,500 available for an air to water heat pump. For homeowners undertaking a deep retrofit with a heat pump under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS) or the Community Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme, additional grant support is available towards required heating system upgrades, as well as a bonus payment of €2,000 to eligible homeowners. This equates to a potential grant support of up to €10,500 available to homeowners upgrading to a heat pump as part of a deep retrofit project.
The Deputy may also wish to note that the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme was launched on the 24th April 2024. The Government-backed €500 million Scheme will support homeowners to invest in the fabric upgrade of their homes (e.g., insulation) and renewable energy solutions (e.g., heat pumps). Homeowners can borrow from €5,000 to €75,000 at significantly lower interest rates to make their homes warmer and cheaper to run. Homeowners can now apply for the loan with PTSB, AIB & BoI. Loan interest rates vary between participating finance providers with rates from 3%. More information on the loans can be found here: sbci.gov.ie/products/home-energy-upgrade-loan-scheme.
101. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his Department has ever used artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, in drafting Dáil speeches or responses to Parliamentary Questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29277/24]
View answerMy Department does not use artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT in drafting the material specified in the question.
102. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of laptops or mobile phones owned by his Department that have been lost or stolen in each of the past ten years. [29295/24]
View answerThe details requested by the Deputy are set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Total Lost / Stolen Laptop or Mobile Phone |
|
2014 |
1 |
|
2015 |
0 |
|
2016 |
0 |
|
2017 |
0 |
|
2018 |
0 |
|
2019 |
1 |
|
2020 |
1 |
|
2021 |
3 |
|
2022 |
3 |
|
2023 |
11 |
|
2024 |
9 |
103. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he and his officials in the inland fisheries division fully support the untenable position of Inland Fisheries Ireland potentially prosecuting anglers for harvesting pink salmon (oncorhynchus gorbuscha) from Irish waterways without a valid salmon licence, notwithstanding that he recently stated that pink salmon are an invasive alien species; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29374/24]
View answerThere is currently no specific legal requirement under the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations, for anglers or commercial fishermen to tag or report Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) caught. Therefore, the issue of prosecution does not arise.
104. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the capital works projects under the remit of his Department that received EU funding in 2023 and to date in 2024; and the amount of EU funding that was received for each of the capital work projects in the years in question, in tabular form. [29386/24]
View answerSince 2023, my Department has been allocated €109.622m funding for two capital works measures, which are co-financed by the Exchequer and the EU. Details of this funding are set out in the table below:
|
EU Fund |
Programme / Scheme |
Total Allocation 2021 - 2027 |
2023 allocation |
2024 allocation |
|
ERDF |
Warmer Homes |
€264.2m |
€13m |
€50m |
|
Just Transition |
Just Transition |
€169m |
€19.652m |
€26.970m |
Both measures are pre-funded through the annual estimates process with funding being recouped to the Exchequer from the EU after the milestones and targets have been achieved and verified.
105. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to detail the installed capacity of renewables, by county, distinguishing the renewable source in each case. [29497/24]
View answerThe Climate Action Plan 2024 seeks to transform Ireland into an international leader in the development and generation of high-quality renewable energy. The Plan includes a series of measures to support our renewables programme, including the accelerated delivery of onshore wind, solar, and offshore wind generation, to reach 80% of electricity demand being met by renewable sources by 2030 and beyond. The 2030 energy targets for renewable electricity include 9 GW of onshore wind, 8 GW of solar, and at least 5 GW of offshore wind.
Ireland has made considerable progress in decarbonising our electricity sector and currently has over 6 GW of renewable generation. This is split between over 4.8 GW of onshore wind, over 1 GW of solar (over 400 MW of rooftop domestic and circa 645 MW of grid-scale), and the remainder coming from hydro, biomass, and other small sources of renewable generation. It is expected that there will be further strong progress in 2024 and 2025 in the deployment of wind and solar generation.
An Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce has been established to accelerate the deployment of onshore renewable electricity generation by focusing on the three key pillars of renewables development – Route to Market, Grid Development and Planning.
To facilitate the accelerated roll-out and implementation of renewable electricity infrastructure for onshore wind and solar generation and to achieve the national targets set out in the CAP, regional renewable electricity targets will be included in the upcoming revision of the National Planning Framework.
The Regional Development Monitor (RDM) Hub provides a series of new national mapping and visualisation infrastructures including Wind Energy Capacity, Number of windfarms, and Renewable Energy Share (RES) by sector. This can be filtered per Region or County. geohive.ie/pages/our-green-sustainable-future#LowCarbon2
Additionally, various Renewable Data Reports are available on:
EirGrids website: www.eirgrid.ie/grid/system-and-renewable-data-reports
and ESB Networks website: www.esbnetworks.ie/new-connections/generator-connections-group/generator-statistics
106. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has mapped the potential location of projected new renewable generation capacity by county or region, distinguishing the renewable source in each case. [29498/24]
View answerMy Department is working closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the implementation of the recast Renewable Energy Directive. Obligations under the Directive include identifying available and potential areas for renewable energy development as well as the mapping of Renewable Acceleration Areas. These measures will support the delivery of the national renewable electricity targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2024.
Implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive is currently being progressed under the banner of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce. The Taskforce was established to coordinate the fast-track and increased deployment and output of renewable electricity generation and supporting technologies, and all parties are working to ensure that the targets can be met in this regard.
It is expected that the upcoming revision of the National Planning Framework, which will include regional renewable electricity targets, and the Planning and Development Bill will provide a supportive spatial planning framework for renewable energy by ensuring an aligned and consistent planning approach, from national to regional assembly and local authority levels.
Collectively, these measures will facilitate the accelerated roll-out and implementation of renewable electricity infrastructure, significantly boost deployment rates of onshore wind and solar energy to underpin Ireland's sustainable economic growth.
107. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to indicate the marginal abatement cost of the most expensive policy measure in each sector now included in the Climate Action Plan for delivery by 2030; the projected cost per tonne of carbon equivalent abated in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29500/24]
View answerAbatement potential of climate policies and measures and the projected capital investment required for decarbonisation pathways across all sectors are key factors underpinning the analysis which has informed the development of successive Climate Action Plans. This analysis shows that the adoption of clean energy technologies have significant potential to reduce Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions.
Marginal abatement cost analysis has been undertaken by UCC MaREI (part of the Government-funded Climate Action Modelling Group) using the TIMES Ireland Model (TIM), which is an energy systems optimisation model that helps identify cost-optimal pathways for decarbonising Ireland's energy system while meeting future energy demands. This analysis has informed Ireland's climate policy, including the setting of our Sectoral Emissions Ceilings (SECs) and is also being used to inform the development of our approach to carbon pricing, including setting a "shadow price of carbon" which reflects the costs to society in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the benefits derived from their mitigation.
A comprehensive range of factors beyond this have also been included in our policy modelling approaches to inform Climate Action Plan measures across sectors, including the feasibility of implementation within the required timeframes, socioeconomic and wider environmental impacts, complementarities with other policies and measures, and the Just Transition Framework.
This holistic modelling approach reflects the significant co-benefits of Ireland's decarbonisation measures, including warmer homes from energy efficiency retrofits, air quality improvements, from the shift to more sustainable transport modes, increased energy security afforded by renewable power generation technologies, and will continue to underpin Ireland's approach to the green transition.
While the overall investment required to mobilise key decarbonisation technologies has been estimated at €119 to €125 billion, as detailed in Climate Action Plan 2024 (Choosing the Pathways), these estimates do not map precisely to individual measures as defined in the plan, as many measures have interconnected costs and benefits, and the plan includes supporting actions which indirectly contribute to our climate objectives.
Individual Departments, which act as policy-holders for the measures relating to their sectors, have responsibility for securing the budgetary allocations to fund measures within their remit, as well as prioritisation within overall financial allocations.
108. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the uptake, by county, of the various schemes for microgeneration, and for business-based small-scale generation, under the various supports offered; and his ambitions for scaling up these initiatives by 2030. [29503/24]
View answerSolar PV panels are installed under a number of scenarios and are supported under a number of Department funded and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administered schemes.
The Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS), was launched in February 2022 to support up to 380 MW of new micro-generation by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan 21. This amounts to 60,000 homes and 9,000 non-domestic installations, such as businesses, schools etc, The scheme supports two SEAI schemes: the Domestic Solar PV scheme and the Non-Domestic Microgeneration Scheme (NDGM). The domestic scheme has proved enormously successful since its launch, and further aided by the Government decision to apply a zero percent VAT rate for the ‘Supply and installation of solar panels, since May 2023.
The NDMG scheme has recently been expanded and enhanced to provide grant funding of up to €162,600 for non-domestic installation sizes up to 1 MW capacity. This has equally proved an overwhelming success and has now been extended for 2024, which ensures that sectors such as education and care providers, food and retail businesses, community & leisure organisations, as well as larger commercial enterprises; all have the opportunity of benefiting from an enduring renewable energy solution that can help manage energy costs, whilst also supporting the local energy grid.
The full list of supports for Microgeneration/Solar PV provided through SEAI, since 2018, are provided below.
|
Paid Domestic Solar PV Grants by County* |
|
|
Co. Carlow |
701 |
|
Co. Cavan |
842 |
|
Co. Clare |
1,708 |
|
Co. Cork |
6,085 |
|
Co. Donegal |
1,244 |
|
Co. Dublin |
11,940 |
|
Co. Galway |
3,477 |
|
Co. Kerry |
1,596 |
|
Co. Kildare |
3,146 |
|
Co. Kilkenny |
1,327 |
|
Co. Laois |
969 |
|
Co. Leitrim |
386 |
|
Co. Limerick |
1,888 |
|
Co. Longford |
357 |
|
Co. Louth |
1,801 |
|
Co. Mayo |
1,357 |
|
Co. Meath |
3,124 |
|
Co. Monaghan |
640 |
|
Co. Offaly |
841 |
|
Co. Roscommon |
843 |
|
Co. Sligo |
1,000 |
|
Co. Tipperary |
1,838 |
|
Co. Waterford |
1,424 |
|
Co. Westmeath |
1,112 |
|
Co. Wexford |
2,251 |
|
Co. Wicklow |
2,401 |
|
Total |
54,298 |
* data to 30/06/2024
|
Non Domestic Microgen (Applications to July 2024) |
|
|
Carlow |
26 |
|
Cavan |
44 |
|
Clare |
56 |
|
Cork |
164 |
|
Donegal |
46 |
|
Dublin |
231 |
|
Galway |
94 |
|
Kerry |
105 |
|
Kildare |
43 |
|
Kilkenny |
32 |
|
Laois |
22 |
|
Leitrim |
3 |
|
Limerick |
74 |
|
Longford |
12 |
|
Louth |
42 |
|
Mayo |
57 |
|
Meath |
52 |
|
Monaghan |
42 |
|
Offaly |
17 |
|
Roscommon |
23 |
|
Sligo |
28 |
|
Tipperary |
64 |
|
Waterford |
29 |
|
Westmeath |
36 |
|
Wexford |
56 |
|
Wicklow |
35 |
|
Total |
1433 |
109. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the peat restoration projects his Department or its agencies have supported; the estimated capital and recurring costs of the work; the proportion funded from public funds; and the projected gains in carbon abatement and biodiversity. [29504/24]
View answerMy Department is currently supporting the Enhanced Decommissioning Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme (EDRRS) (also referred to as the Peatlands Climate Action Scheme), where rehabilitation of peatlands is currently being undertaken by Bord na Móna. This scheme is part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan and is funded by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility up to the value of €108 million via the Climate Action Fund of which €2 million is capital expenditure. This project relates to the enhanced rehabilitation of circa 33,000 hectares of Bord na Móna peatlands across 82 bogs previously used for energy production over several decades.
It is estimated that EDRRS will result in the net reduction of 3.3 MtCO2 eq. over the period to 2050 through the implementation of enhanced rehabilitation measures and rewetting. The figures are indicative at this stage. A programme of carbon monitoring is part of EDRRS and, as results become available, these figures will be reviewed and updated.
Rehabilitation will enrich the State’s natural capital, increasing ecosystem services; strengthen biodiversity; improve water quality and storage attenuation; develop the amenity potential of the peatlands, as well as providing employment opportunities as part of a Just Transition in the Midlands. Rehabilitation to date has already contributed to biodiversity restoration with the return and growth of certain wildlife species such as Eurasian Cranes.
Within the peatland to be rehabilitated under EDRRS, 8,000 hectares of deep peat is ringfenced for additional enhanced regeneration as part of an EU LIFE project. This Peatlands and People project will carryout novel sphagnum moss inoculation and other associated measures.
Information on the progress of EDRRS, including carbon and biodiversity monitoring, is available through the publication of Annual Reports and Annual Monitoring and Verification Reports on www.bnmpcas.ie/
In addition to EDRRS, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), under the Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, also supports peat restoration through a number of programmes.
The Raised Bog Restoration Programme is an accelerated programme of restoration on protected raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Natural Heritage Areas. Restoration has been completed on 5,000 hectares of protected raised bogs since 2018, with preparatory actions underway across a further suite of protected raised bog sites. Since 2020, €5m from the carbon tax fund has been allocated to the NPWS raised bog restoration programme each year, and in 2024 this funding has been supplemented by a further €500k in exchequer funding.
The NPWS supports a range of other peatland conservation initiatives including EU LIFE and INTERREG projects. The €5 million EU LIFE project ‘The Living Bog’, which concluded in 2022, completed the restoration of more than 2,650 hectares on 12 sites across seven counties, with an exchequer funding contribution of €1.35m.
Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE Integrated Project is a nine-year peatland restoration project (2021-2029) led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is a €21 million project, with €8 million coming from the NPWS, and the balance form the EU. It aims to improve the conservation status in the SAC blanket bog, a priority habitat under the Habitats Directive. The primary focus is on 35 Natura 2000 sites in the northwest of Ireland. The project works with farmers and local communities to conserve and improve the quality of blanket bogs and associated habitats, and the ecosystem services they provide, including clean water, carbon storage and biodiversity.
The NPWS has an ecohydrological and greenhouse-gas monitoring network in place on key peatland sites across Ireland. The data from this network, other networks such as the EDRRS and university-led projects, will be used to calculate gains in carbon abatement from peatland restoration. Biodiversity gains are measured by ecological mapping, field surveys, and increasingly, remote sensing methods, and will be reported in Ireland’s next Habitats Directive Reporting period in 2025.
110. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the position regarding the Inland Fisheries (Consolidation) Bill; and when this Bill will move to the next stage. [29690/24]
View answerMy Department is currently finalising a General Scheme of a Bill to consolidate Inland Fisheries primary legislation enacted in the period 1959-2017. The Bill will include modernised provisions in relation to the intricate nature of fishery ownership, title and fishing rights and the uncertainties that have emerged over time in those areas. It will also provide for, inter alia, conservation, protection, development and management of the entire resource as well as sustainability measures on biodiversity, habitats, environmental matters, invasive species and in-water infrastructure and installations.
My Department is aiming to bring a General Scheme of Bill to Government for approval in the next 6 months.
111. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of WTE IT security managers employed by his Department in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form. [29691/24]
View answerThe number of WTE IT security managers employed by my Department in the years of 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024 is set out in the table below:
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2024 |
1 |
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2023 |
1 |
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2022 |
1 |
