Questions

208. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his views on the importance of seeking external expertise in drafting the Maritime Area Planning (Marine Protected Areas) (Amendment) Bill 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54394/26]

209. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the position regarding any initiative that seeks to expedite the construction of offshore wind energy infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54395/26]

210. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the position regarding any further initiatives proposed by his Department to increase the support for offshore wind infrastructure in coastal communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54396/26]

211. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the position regarding the number of planned offshore wind farms; the stages of progression that they are at in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54397/26]

212. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he can confirm media reports that the State faces EU penalties of between €8 billion and €26 billion due to missed climate targets; whether, in light of recent disruptions to oil supplies caused by the attacks on Iran by the USA and lsrael, he will consider introducing a programme to instal PV panels on as many as possible of t…

213. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has assessed Ireland’s strategic oil security arrangements, including the resilience of national oil reserves, supply routes and emergency fuel distribution capacity; if any such assessment identified risks to Ireland’s energy security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54473/26]

214. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the new policy on private wires; if he will provide further details on the framework for gaining the consent of local communities and landowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54562/26]

215. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the new policy on private wires; if he will provide further details on the framework to ensure that private wires will not undermine the development of the national grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54563/26]

216. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the new policy on private wires; to provide the details to ensure that it does not undermine the financing of the national grid and does not impact on TSO and the DSO to maintain and expand the national grid. [54564/26]

217. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the additional resources that will be provided to the CRU for its regulatory role with regard to private wires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54565/26]

218. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the new private wires policy and the threshold for a new grid based solution not being available thus allowing access to a private connection. [54566/26]

219. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the costs incurred by his Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in each of the years 2020 to date; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54567/26]

220. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his Department’s expenditure on IT consultancy; the breakdown of all IT consultants engaged by his Department; the dates of their engagement; the nature of their work; and the costs associated with their services in each of the years 2015 to date, in tabular form. [54568/26]

221. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his Department’s expenditure on consultancy; the breakdown of all consultants engaged by his department; the dates of their engagement; the nature of their work; and the costs associated with their services in each of the years 2015 to 2025. [54569/26]

222. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an update on the work of the NEAT taskforce; if the action plan is expected to be approved and published by Q3; and when the action plan will be enacted. [54570/26]

223. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts across his Department, in Ireland and abroad; if these individuals can apply to internal civil service competitions for these temporary contracts; the plans being developed to retain these individuals once their contracts cease, giv…

224. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the dates on which he met with each of the State or semi-State bodies under his remit, broken down by State or semi-State since taking office, in tabular form. [54605/26]

225. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he is aware of concerns (details supplied); the dates on which he has met to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54606/26]

226. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide a breakdown of the recycling that Ireland exported in each of the years 2020 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; the measures the Government is taking to reduce this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54612/26]

227. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when the Climate Action Plan 2026 will be published; if it will be published during the Dáil recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54619/26]

228. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the position regarding all actions in each of the Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 under the remit of him Department; to provide a breakdown of the legacy actions remaining, broken down by the year of the climate action plan they were initially included in; and the estimated timelines for completion, in tabular form. [54623/26]

229. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the target of 500,000 homes retrofitted to a B2 standard by 2030; if the Government remains in pursuit of this target of 500,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54709/26]

230. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the strategic objective to deliver a 2MtCO2 reduction in the built environment by 2030; if a target 500,000 homes retrofitted to a BER b2 remains as one of the key actions identified to achieve this; if not, the alternative pathways that have been identified and to report on progress to date. [54710/26]

231. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will report on the strategic objective to deliver a 2MtCO2 reduction in the built environment by 2030; if a target of 400,000 heat pumps remains as one of the key actions identified to achieve this; if not, the alternative pathways that have been identified and to report on progress to date. [54711/26]

232. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the proportion of the 2030 target for onshore wind that has been achieved (energised) to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54738/26]