Darragh O'Brien

I think we agree this is an issue. I know this is an issue and the Government is aware this is an issue. We have already taken measures, which I outlined in my initial response, but we have to go further. Work is happening at an EU-wide level. We have to look at the electricity market design and the Regulation on Wholesale Energy Market Integrity and Transparency. They are matters I have raised a…

I thank the Deputy. The programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, recommitted to the national land use review. The first phase, led by the EPA, was published in March 2023 and focused on evidence gathering. The final report for phase 2 - the report the Deputy referred to - is entitled A Living Land and has been received by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydo…

I assure the Deputy I am not sitting on the report. It deserves scrutiny and that actions be taken from it. That is the work I am doing with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan. When we publish it, we will be able to show some exemplar projects in this country. Geraldine Tallon and her team looked across Europe at community-based, land-based projects and examp…

I appreciate that the Deputy is asking the question slightly in the dark because he has seen phase 1, but he has not seen the phase 2 report. I am genuinely anxious to get this report published so people can see what is in it. The Deputy mentioned the intensification of farming in certain areas. There are options in the report and certain scenarios are laid out in it, so it is not directing us as …

As Minister, I meet with a range of stakeholders on important topics including energy prices, which is one of the most pressing. I can confirm that I have met with both the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, which is assigned consumer protection functions under the Electricity Regulation Act, and energy suppliers since being appointed as Minister. On 26 September 2025, I met with the fou…

It is important to acknowledge that the largest energy retailer, Electric Ireland, did not increase its prices. I did discuss those very matters with the four companies in relation to their margins. The IEA report looked at the margin between retail and wholesale. It is not that the retail price is three times higher in Ireland than in other places. It is the margin. There are specific, unique cha…

The Deputy understands how the energy markets work. I am just stating it factually in relation to the time lag between wholesale price decreases and retail price decreases. There are unique attributes to Ireland. That said, energy costs are too high and we need to bring those prices down permanently. We are affected by geopolitical issues. Ukraine has had an effect, absolutely. Europe has had to p…

I acknowledge that the Deputy is not opposed to renewable energy. I note the recent High Court rulings related to private nuisance claims and related awards of damages connected with noise from particular wind farm developments. We currently have over 5 GW of onshore wind generation and in 2024, wind accounted for 33% our electricity demand. This is related to the previous question on pricing whi…

Approximately 33% of our electricity comes through onshore wind energy. There are significant wind farm developments across the country, many of which do not cause any difficulty for any communities. The same goes with solar. I have visited many of them as well. People need clean, green renewable energy that is affordable and affordability will be driven through renewables. That said, however, th…

Now I am beginning to wonder whether the Deputy is for wind energy or not, following his last comments. The largest renewable provider of energy in the country is Bord na Móna. That is a company that has pivoted and is an example of how a company can transition from fossil fuels and be a leader in the delivery of renewables on land we own as a State. We see that when we drive through the country. …

-----and that is critical. No, this is onshore.

We do of course but we need them to come through planning. We have five projects still in planning with An Coimisiún Pleanála and we are committed to offshore as well.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cearúil as an gceist thábhachtach. I thank him for this important question. Our climate action plan specifies a target of 5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. That is not going to happen but we need to ensure those projects are in construction and that is down to planning. This target will be met in the early 2030s through a combination of projects from phase …

There are a couple of things there. We have an independent planning process. Sometimes it is a frustration for us, in that we want to see things delivered quicker but that is the reality. We have had people who will object to offshore wind as well. We respect the right of third parties. However, we have done things well too. If you look at onshore, which I have mentioned previously, we are a Europ…

Regarding MARA, which I established in my previous Ministry, it has statutory timeframes for decision-making. The problem is it is not leading them. That is a problem. It is working towards that. That means the connection policy from EirGrid will also be published on time. I attend the offshore wind energy task force and, for the first time, I brought this sector into the room. Therefore, it is no…

The programme for Government acknowledges the increased energy cost pressures on households and businesses. I know, as I said earlier, that that is a real issue for people. The programme for Government commits to bringing forward additional measures to address those costs, and we have discussed that. I established a cross-government energy affordability task force. We identified particular measure…

Okay. I will come back in on some of that.

As I have said in the House before, I reject both the assertions from the Department of public expenditure and the comments made earlier this year on housing and data centres. They are not correct. Government policy is clear on this. We have a growing population and growing housing stock, thankfully. Price review 6, when published before the end of this year, will show how we will meet that future…

As regards cost transparency, absolutely, and we need an analysis, and we are doing an analysis, of the costs that are there. I have met the four largest energy providers and have interrogated them on this very matter. We have to watch this very closely. Energy bills are too high in Ireland. They are too high right across Europe. In Cyprus, net energy costs are about 20% of average net pay, so we …

Tuigim an cheist. I want to put this in context. We go back to the Energy Security in Ireland to 2030 report that we published, and we published the Cambridge Economic Policy Associates report as well. We offered briefings on that too. A very clear risk was identified in that we have no gas reserve in this country. That is why we are proceeding with the floating storage and regasification unit, FS…

As the Deputy knows, I received a letter from An Coimisiún Pleanála that was addressed to the wrong office. It was received months after it was sent. I thought it was a strange letter to receive from An Coimisiún Pleanála, but I did respond to it. I provided the Government's position on it. The Deputy mentioned the fracked gas policy that was set aside. It was set aside because my predecessor rec…

I understand the point being made. We are committed to the publicly owned FSRU. We have actually advanced it. We meet regularly on this with GNI involved with my own officials and myself to expedite the delivery of it. Hopefully, the Deputy will see that in the coming weeks. I expect there will be a decision regarding options for its location, and indeed, its location. That is what the Government …

I thank the Deputy. Government policy is supportive of the expansion of district heating to contribute to the diversification of fuel supply to decarbonise the heat sector. We have massive opportunities there. We have not done well in Ireland. We have one district heating scheme in place in Tallaght, but we have a number of others that we can deliver in the near term. To this end, the district hea…

That European directive was transposed in relation to that. We are not permitted, and rightly so, to provide grant aid for fossil fuel boilers. There are other options, however, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO, and other things at which we are looking. We are looking at some supports within that space. We are moving away from fossil fuel boilers. We are doing well as a country with regard…

We are working on them. This has been ongoing for a number of years but since 2023, consultants have been appointed. It is being screened. We are doing a specific piece of work on noise. That is in my Department. We work with the lead Department in relation to the publication of the draft guidelines. This is not passing the buck; it is just a fact that the lead Department is the Department of hous…