Parliamentary questions

101. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the position regarding the Celtic Interconnector; the progress made on this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4767/25]

102. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated cost of putting electricity supply cables underground; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4787/25]

103. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for details on the establishment of a regulatory system for district heating that ensures consumer protection; when he will establish a district heating regulatory framework; when his Department will publish the heads of the proposed heat Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4822/25]

104. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications for an update on measures to improve recycling rates of glass bottles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4830/25]

9. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to address the lack of phone coverage for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3873/25]

10. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a detailed breakdown of all funding allocated for the year ahead or spent in the past fiscal year by his Department on artificial intelligence systems or artificial intelligence research; what programs or Department operations, if any, are conducted using artificial intelligence tools; and…

11. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount the ESB has paid each year since 2020 on external legal fees contesting appeals made to the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information and Information Commissioner in relation to freedom of information and access to information on the environment regulations requests, in tabular fo…

12. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount Bord na Móna has paid each year since 2020 on external legal fees contesting appeals made to the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information and Information Commissioner in relation to freedom of information and access to information on the environment regulations requests, in tabul…

13. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and 2024; the purpose, value, and duration of each contract in relation to public bodies under the aegis of his Department, including where consulting contracts are clas…

14. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what steps are being taken to reduce the risk of power outages rurally in severe storms and other weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3896/25]

56. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of requests to his Department that have been granted for various matters (details supplied); the number of such requests that were refused; and the grounds on which they were refused. [2499/25]

57. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to examine a fibre broadband case in Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3146/25]

58. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will expedite the provision of a liquefied natural gas terminal in north Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2172/25]

59. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if owners of thatched homes are eligible to apply for retrofitting grants such as solar panel grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2202/25]

60. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of applicants to the warmer homes scheme in Louth; and the number of these applications outstanding in the years 2020 to 2024. [2267/25]

61. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a public consultation will be held on the proposed carbon budgets to 2040; the timeframe for a consultation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2280/25]

62. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the expected timeline for the publication of the Climate Action Plan 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2281/25]

63. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to address a by-law issue (details supplied) in place in Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2311/25]

64. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will expedite the provision of fibre broadband to a property (details supplied) in County Sligo. [2431/25]

65. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will expedite the provision of fibre broadband to an area (details supplied) in County Sligo. [2452/25]

66. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when a renewable heat obligation will be established in the context of the National Biomethane Strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2465/25]

67. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if consideration has been given to the widespread undergrounding of the national electricity cable network, in view of the many interruptions to services during the regular storms and the dangers that follow for repair crews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2565/25]

68. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address the significant delays in the approval and payment of pension increases for retired An Post pensioners, which require ministerial approval and have led to unacceptable delays in 2022 and 2023; the measures being taken to rectify this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25…

69. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if his attention has been drawn to the fact that individuals in County Galway were unable to make emergency 999 calls during Storm Éowyn; if his Department will be investigating this to ensure people have access to emergency services during adverse weather events in the future; and if he will make a state…

70. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the Government's stance on expanding mining activities in protected areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2686/25]