Questions

4. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being considered in the upcoming Budget to assist SMEs and local businesses in reducing ongoing energy costs, including through increased supports for energy efficiency, building retrofits, renewable energy and other measures that can deliver long-term reductions in electricity and heating costs. [67381/26]

5. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will consider measures in Budget 2027 to make energy retrofit grants more accessible and affordable for small and local businesses, particularly those for whom the upfront cost of works remains a barrier to undertaking energy-efficiency upgrades. [67380/26]

6. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in the context of the upcoming Budget, if he intends to increase funding or introduce additional supports for energy-efficiency and retrofit works for SMEs and small businesses. [67379/26]

228. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether the National Energy Affordability Taskforce is examining additional targeted measures to reduce home heating oil costs from September 2026 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58539/26]

52. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the legislative or regulatory steps the Government plans to take to enable community energy sharing models, whereby locally generated renewable electricity can be shared directly between producers and consumers through the distribution network, similar to the model operating in Austria where over thousands of energy communities are n…

170. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department or any agency under its remit has examined the potential for a State supported bulk procurement or aggregated purchasing model for small-scale solar photovoltaic systems for households; if so, the findings of any such examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33733/26]

70. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if any forthcoming Statutory Instrument to transpose Article 12 of the Energy Efficiency Directive (2023/1791) will include the implementation and governance for real-time emissions reporting by Large Energy Users, as referenced in Action 12 of the Large Energy-user Action Plan (LEAP), or if separate primary legislation will be requi…

563. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been engagement with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment to examine the way in which energy retrofit and solar supports can better assist older persons on fixed incomes, including those in receipt of the State pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32040/26]

96. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the position communicated by Ireland at EU level regarding reducing dependency on imported fossil fuels from geopolitically unstable regions; the role of his Department in EU level discussions on responding to recent disruptions in global energy markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22801/26]

160. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment how wholesale electricity market transactions in Ireland are monitored for potential market manipulation under a regulation (details supplied) on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (REMIT); the role of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators in this monitorin…

74. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Taoiseach his assessment and response to the NESC report, 'Connecting People to the Energy Transition'. [4040/26]

169. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland plans to offer a replacement scrappage deal on gas boilers that are aged over 15 years old for domestic residential properties only. [32338/25]

268. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will outline the actions his Department is taking to enhance the resilience of Ireland’s energy transmission and distribution infrastructure in response to the increased risk of disruption from extreme wind events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30734/25]

95. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the detailed implementation plan for the national hydrogen strategy will be published; and if he will provide a timeline for the delivery of the 21 actions outlined within the strategy. [18332/25]

170. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a detailed update on the development of the “National Hydrogen Programme”, a key part of the National Hydrogen Strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8944/25]

117. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications given Ireland's immense potential for offshore renewable energy and the production of green hydrogen, the specific steps he is taking to accelerate these initiatives and how he plans to position Ireland as a leader in the EU market for green hydrogen, thereby creating much-needed revenue for the State. [6740/25]