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 received legal advice t…
TDs / Darragh O'Brien
Darragh O'Brien
Minister for Climate, Energy and the EnvironmentMinister for Transport
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
168,229
words spoken in the chamber
166,330 as a minister, 1,899 as a TD
323
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 680 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 30 |
| March 2025 | 29 |
| April 2025 | 54 |
| May 2025 | 22 |
| June 2025 | 59 |
| July 2025 | 4 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 44 |
| October 2025 | 5 |
| November 2025 | 73 |
| December 2025 | 2 |
| January 2026 | 43 |
| February 2026 | 55 |
| March 2026 | 33 |
| April 2026 | 77 |
| May 2026 | 11 |
| June 2026 | 82 |
| July 2026 | 2 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 49 |
| October 2026 | 6 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 529 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Dublin Fingal East 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Transport 23 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications 23 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister for Transport 2 June 2025 to now
- office Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 2 June 2025 to now
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 is committed to from…
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 heating steering group …
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 to energy generatio…
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 housing and local govern…
I thank my colleagues for amendments Nos. 1 and 2, which I am taking together.
At the outset, I appreciate the support for this important legislation. We are about to embark on the largest and most significant investment in the grid infrastructure, pretty much in the history of the State and certainly since rural electrification. This Bill is an important part of that because it allows an increase in borrowing and i…
I do not intend to accept either amendment. I have outlined why that is the case. I appreciate the Deputies' remarks but have nothing further to add.
I move the following Further Revised Estimate:
Vote 33 — Culture, Communications and Sport (Further Revised Estimate)
That a sum not exceeding €1,164,069,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport including certain services administ…
Tá mé lánsásta a bheith anseo inniu, mar Aire Iompair agus Aire Aeráide, Fuinnimh agus Comhshaoil, chun an cháinaisnéis a phlé. I am pleased to discuss next year's budget across the Departments of Transport and Climate, Energy and the Environment. Budget 2026 provides almost €6 billion in investment in these Departments. Is í seo an infheistíocht is mó in iompar poiblí, fuinneamh agus comhshaol riamh. Tá níos mó daoi…
I move:
(1) THAT for the purposes of the tax charged by virtue of section 72 of the Finance Act 2005 (No. 5 of 2005), that Act be amended, with effect as on and from 8 October 2025, by the substitution of the following for Schedule 2 to that Act (amended by section 70 of the Finance Act 2024 (No. 43 of 2024)):
“SCHEDULE 2
RATES OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS TAX
(With effect as on and from 8 October 2025)
".
(2) IT is her…
We are talking about cigarettes.
We are talking about Financial Resolution No. 1.
I move:
(1) THAT section 291A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) be amended, in subsection (6)(a), by the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (i):
“(i) any allowances to be made to a company under section 284 as applied by this section, and any balancing allowances (within the meaning of section 288) to be made to a company in respect of a specified intangible asset or spec…
I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
I am pleased to introduce the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025.
The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, plays a pivotal role in protecting, improving and restoring our environment through regulation, scientific knowledge and working with others. As part of this role, there are approximately 900 EPA licences in operation in Ireland which regulate l…
We will get a copy of it. Apologies, we will circulate that. Tá brón orm faoi sin.
Before changes that affect emissions from an existing installation can be made, the operator is required to amend or review the existing EPA licence. This is an important system overall which protects our natural environment and human health. While strong licensing procedures are critical to protect our environment, the legislation sh…
We banned that.
I thank the Deputies for their contributions here this evening. They were all constructive. Deputy Whitmore raised specific issues and made suggestions, as did Deputies Ahern, Cronin and others. Charges were made about certain things but I will leave them for a more general debate. I welcome the broad support for the Bill.
I assure Deputies that as we move to Committee Stage we will be seeking to improve the Bill. T…
I move:
That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy pursuant to Standing Orders 103(2)(b) and 188(1).
I thank the Deputy for his question on this important matter. As I have previously outlined to the House, the Chicago Convention of 1944 is the main international treaty governing the operation of international civil aviation. Article 35 of this convention provides that no civil aircraft may carry munitions of war in the sovereign territory of a state without that state’s permission. That pertains here in Ireland. Th…
Yes.
I take the Deputy's question and statement in the manner in which it has been raised. The allegations, though, that any arms or weapons are going from Ireland to Israel are just wholly incorrect. Irish law is clear. On the examination of the draft report, we have sought legal advice. There is extensive documentation. I do not want to hide any of that but I need to allow it to be assessed properly, particularly should…
Ireland has led in Europe in that regard. There are others who wish to state otherwise - not the Deputy but others - purely for political points. This situation is far too serious for that.
Where complaints and allegations are made about the illegal transfer of either munitions, parts of munitions or dual goods, items that could be used for military use, that is taken very seriously. We have a process that is long-standing in Irish law. Our legislation is very clear in that regard, with domestic orders going all the way back to 1973 and reaffirmed in 1989. I take the allegations seriously. It is appropr…
I never turned my back on Donegal.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo a ardú, ach níl sé ceart faoi ar chor ar bith. He is not correct at all in his assertion. We have the largest ever national development plan, with €105 billion of investment between now and the end of the decade, and €245 billion-plus in total. Those are the facts. Now it is about delivery and we are seeing lots of our projects across the country coming through p…