Parliamentary questions

178. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on the public consultation on the feasibility of transitioning the waste collection market from its current side-by-side licensing system to a franchise tendering system; when the report on this consultation will be published; if, in the meantime, he will be acting on some of the submissions in the consu…

179. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for a timeline on the delivery of the Celtic Interconnector; if he will set out the delivery timeline; when construction work originally began on it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35961/26]

180. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the 'technical issues' in relation to the delivery of the Celtic Interconnector that the Taoiseach was referring to in the Dáil Éireann on Tuesday, 28 April 2026 during Taoiseach's questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35962/26]

181. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate; Energy and the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the €100 million surplus transferred by the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) from its 2024 levy income to the Climate Action Fund; and if he will outline the rationale for directing these funds (raised from a 2 cent per litre levy on petroleum products) towards climate initiative…

182. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to the Committee of Public Accounts discussion on 7 May 2026, whether he has examined the security implications of one-third of Ireland's strategic oil reserves being held off-island in other EU member states; and if he will confirm whether the Government's continued opposition to domestic oil and gas explor…

183. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will state the current level of Ireland's oil reserves in days of consumption; the estimated cost of replenishment following the recent IEA-coordinated release; and whether he accepts that accelerating licensing for oil and gas exploration in Irish waters would reduce long-term reliance on imported stocks and …

184. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the projected decline in NORA levy income over the next five-ten years as fossil fuel consumption falls in line with net-zero targets; and if he will outline the contingency plans to maintain Ireland's 90-day oil reserve obligation without imposing higher costs on fuel users or further transfers from the levy to the…

185. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide the latest assessment of Ireland's gas supply security given that NORA holds no strategic gas reserves; and whether the Government will now reconsider its moratorium on gas exploration in order to develop indigenous sources and reduce vulnerability to international price volatility and supply disr…

186. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to evidence given to the Committee of Public Accounts on 7 May 2026 that storage costs account for 90% of NORA's €42 million operating expenditure, whether he is satisfied with the value for money achieved in current contracts, including those for off-island storage; and if he will confirm plans to increase …

187. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason the Government reduced the NORA levy to 0.1 cent per litre in recent years for price relief yet continues to support policies that block domestic oil and gas exploration, thereby perpetuating Ireland's dependence on imported petroleum products and the associated levy costs passed on to motorists, farmers …

188. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the additional administration costs to NORA of implementing the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation and ReFuelEU Aviation regulations; and whether he accepts that these obligations, combined with the existing NORA levy, represent a double burden on consumers that could be mitigated by permitting greater domestic oi…

189. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will publish the criteria used to award NORA storage contracts and the savings achieved by competitive bidding; and whether the Government has conducted any analysis of the potential reduction in NORA's storage expenditure that could be achieved if Ireland developed its own indigenous oil and gas resources ins…

190. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to the Committee of Public Accounts hearing on 7 May 2026 regarding NORA's role in energy security, whether he will now bring forward a comprehensive policy statement confirming that the development of Ireland's oil and gas resources is essential to maintaining strategic reserves, lowering the levy burden an…

191. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide a copy of the recent correspondence issued by the Minister for Public Expenditure; National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to his Department referred to in media reports (details supplied); if he will provide details of the percentage reduction(s) in spending in his Department referenced in the corresp…

192. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising that was funded or overseen by his Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five years, including a breakdown by medium, that is, radio, television and social media, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3648…

8. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 204 of 12 June 2025, if he has discussed this issue with the CRU since the question was posed; to outline the content of those discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35386/26]

9. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 239 of 10 June 2025, the amount of the revenue from the cap on market revenues that has been allocated and drawn down since this question was answered; and the reasons the remaining revenue has not been spent. [35387/26]

10. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for a breakdown of how the revenue generated from the cap on market revenues has been allocated; the breakdown of the amount that has been spent; the breakdown of the amount that has yet to be allocated; the reason this revenue has not been allocated or spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35388/26]

11. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an update on progress on the 2025 Programme for Government commitment to 'explore funding models of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme and the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy which would reduce electricity bills for households and businesses'; and if he will make a statement on the matter. …

12. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Climate; Energy and the Environment if his Department is aware of the current cost of electricity in Ireland relative to other EU member states; the factors contributing to higher prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35463/26]

13. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide a list of all capital projects, including energy and environmental infrastructure projects, delivered under the remit of his Department, and bodies under their aegis, which have been completed on time and within budget in Galway in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a…

14. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to comment on the landslide in Alaska that resulted in one of the largest ever tsunamis globally, the cause and impact on Ireland and Irish waters of such events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35683/26]

244. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if private schools can avail of SEAI grants for energy upgrades. [35165/26]

245. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason his Department belatedly published an appropriate assessment screening report required under the EU Habitats Directive for Conservation of Salmon and Sea trout (Bag Limits) Bye-Law (No. 1023) 2026, when the bye-law itself was surreptitiously published without the screening on 7 April 2026; and if he w…

246. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason the Owenriff (Barna) River system No. 140, was not legislated for (details supplied) by either the conservation of salmon and sea trout (bag Limits) bye-law (No. 1023) 2026 or the angling bye-law (No.1022) 2026, considering that salmon were harvested by rod and line angling from the river in 2024 acco…