Parliamentary questions

96. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline, given the risks posed by the discharge of toxic chemicals and the proposed 17-storey mine waste facility in the Sperrins AONB gold mine project, the measures the Government is considering to ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency is fully involved in the review of this project and it…

97. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the lengthy delays experienced by residents in Rolestown in accessing broadband; if he is aware that this service was promised for December 2024 and that it is has been delayed until December 2025; if he will agree that these repeated delays are unacceptable; if he plans to improve on th…

98. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications regarding the replacement of all the old copper cable landlines with fibre voice over broadband landlines, which raises the issue that in the future when we lose power, we will lose the ability to use our landlines and also to use our panic buttons for the elderly people in our community; and if he will…

99. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in the context of a Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, if his Department is reviewing the current policy; if consideration is being given to the need to develop further recycling and waste management infrastructure to ensure that recycling and reuse targets can be met by waste management companies and…

100. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the current status of the drafting and approval process for the heat Bill, including the expected timeline for its introduction to the Government; and the steps taken to amend legislation to extend CRU’s regulatory role to all district and communal heating systems, including existing gas-fired schemes, …

101. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of the price rises for waste collection services; if he is aware that they price hikes surpass the rate of inflation and that the recycling per life charge is going up by 25 percent which is 18 times the rate of inflation; if he has engaged with the private waste collection company that is introdu…

102. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of a report (details supplied); if his attention has been brought to recommendation 47, in which the Committee recommended that the national waste regulator oversee a new system of economic licensing, whereby exclusive licences are granted for specified geographic areas in order to extend coverage…

103. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps being taken to develop offshore renewable energy and green hydrogen potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3595/25]

104. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures his Department is taking to encourage civil servants in his Department to take or avail of special leave or career breaks, or other forms of leave to encourage and facilitate Ireland's 2026 EU Presidency, the Government "Career for EU" jobs strategy, and the Department's Gaeilge-Ir…

68. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of civil servants in his Department, and in agencies under the aegis of his Department, who were on career break in 2023 or 2024, by month and grade, and by length of career break; the number of civil servants in his Department and in agencies under the aegis of his Department who were on c…

69. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of vacancies, by month and by grade, in his Department, and in agencies under the aegis of his Department, in 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46207/24]

70. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide an assurance that no civil servant has had their career break extended beyond five years where there is a suitable vacancy in their home Department or agency; that, where a civil servant has had their career break extended beyond five years on account of there being no suitable vacancy in t…

71. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications of those in fuel poverty, how many people got boiler and/or full heating upgrades out of the total number who applied under the warmer homes scheme. [46481/24]

72. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is aware of inequality within the warmer homes scheme; if he agrees that the people who qualify for the ‘free’ scheme are treated differently/less favourably to people who qualify for the one-stop shop funding (details supplied); and the reason there are more options and more funding available for those…

73. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the protections that are in place for the use of public money as part of Ireland's ambitious retrofitting programme overseen by the SEAI (details supplied). [46505/24]

74. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what provisions are made for those who are unable to avail of the electricity credit allowance due to the meter being installed by the landlord (details supplied). [46547/24]

75. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on behalf of a transition year student at a school (details supplied), who is part of the Young Social Innovators programme, whether a mechanism could be introduced on the return deposit scheme machines to donate all or part of the returned deposit to charity. [46562/24]

76. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the plans for current and future upgrading of the broadband infrastructure in rural parts of Cork, in particular the village of Liscarroll, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46572/24]

77. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline any scheme administered by his Department whereby recipients of fuel allowance can have solar panels installed, either free of charge or heavily grant-aided. [46588/24]

78. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when full telephone and broadband reception will be available at Dromid, Waterville and at Ballycleave, Glenbeigh on the N70 Ring of Kerry route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46603/24]

79. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what plans are in place to progress the Shannon LNG storage facility at Ballylongford in Kerry, now that planning permissions have been received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46604/24]

80. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what interaction he has had with Bord na Móna on its decision to dispose of AES recycling; his views on the impact of the disposal of waste management in Ireland; whether he will intervene to ensure that the company is not disposed of but remains a key part of Bord na Móna; and if he will make a statement …

81. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if further consideration will be given to the issues outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46860/24]

82. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications whether provisions under the Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 that allow for the use of CCTV to prosecute individuals engaged in illegal dumping have been implemented, so local authorities can now do so. [46896/24]

83. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a representative of Inland Fisheries Ireland will inspect damage being caused on the land of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46912/24]