Darragh O'Brien
Dublin Fingal East · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The appropriate next time to do that is once the ANCA decision is finalised and the public consultation is concluded, which will be on 3 September. Obviously, there will be a period required after that when the submissions to ANCA will be looked at. That is where the consultation is. That will happen over the coming months.”
“I have already mentioned the more than 3 million passengers who flew through Cork Airport and the growth of Shannon Airport, which has just had its best half a year and which now has over 40 routes. However, a small number of people are impacted and they need to be listened to.”
“Others did not want it at all. I think Shane Ross was Minister for transport at the time. That has been done. That is in place. This decision will be made. I do not have a timeframe. Hopefully it will be soon after the submissions from the public on the draft noise decision is made. That would feed into both.”
“An Investec report published in, I believe, 2022 said that to maintain the cap at 32 million between now and 2030 would jeopardise up to about 19,000 jobs. That is the reality of it. I support the workers in the airport. I am from the community myself. The airport has to grow in a sustainable way.”
“I have also made it clear that even though, and this is a fact, international aviation emissions are outside the scope of the climate action plan, we are taking actions aligned with the global approach to decarbonisation of the aviation industry, which is based on the International Civil Aviation Organization's basket of measures to ensur…”
“I have already highlighted the planning decision on the DAA’s infrastructure application. We discussed that at some length over the course of the last nearly two hours. That application seeks to raise the passenger cap to 40 million and provide for much-needed additional infrastructure at Dublin Airport.”
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“The proposed Kinsale Road to Tramore Valley Park pedestrian-cycle connection would provide that improved pedestrian and cycle infrastructure on the Kinsale Road and the Mick Barry Road as well as a pedestrian and cycle bridge into Tramore Valley Park. What has been allocated now, the €4,000 to support the development of options and a preliminary design for this project, is the first step. Obviously, the project itself will cost more than that, but what the Deputy has identified is what we are finding across the country, namely, that really good parts of networks are being delivered and then the gaps are identified. Some of them are being planned out and delivered in full but, more and more, we are seeing those networks link up together. People do respond to them. This gap has been identified.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this because it gives me an opportunity to look into it. I am a big supporter of active travel. This year, we will spend about €363 million across the country on active travel. We have already invested over €1 billion in these programmes. I am aware that Tramore Valley Park is a tremendous facility but I am also aware of the frustrations raised by the Deputy, namely, that there is no pedestrian access from the Ballyphehane side. The allocation this year is significant in this sense in that it is an allocation of €4,000. We have made contact with Cork City Council about this. It is very aware of the missing link into Tramore Valley Park across the South Link Road. In fact the, council has submitted a proposal to the NTA to help to address the issue.”
“You can go in. If you have already received one grant for one cavity wall, you can go in for a second one. If you did not get window grants before, you can go back in for them as well, so you are not precluded. The low-interest loan is available in both urban and rural Ireland. It is available across all 26 counties of the Republic. I do not have the breakdown per county, but we could certainly get that information for the Deputy as best as we have it.”
“Importantly within this, once you get this work done, your bills come down permanently. Your home is warmer, healthier and climate friendly too. All of those options are now on the SEAI website. I have also circulated a draft newsletter, and we have done a briefing with Members that was well attended by Government and Opposition last week.”
“There are options there. For some people this had operated already. They can apply for themselves and have the grant refunded once the works are completed. They can apply themselves and have the grant paid to the contractor and have that net option. There are low-interest loans available as well. If someone wants to go for a deeper retrofit and to do more work above and beyond, they can apply for that also. What we will endeavour to do with this round of changes to the grants is break them up. Before, for argument's sake, to get windows and doors you would have had to do a whole house upgrade. Even though the grants were good, you would have had to put substantial money towards it yourself. Many families do not have that, or that may not be a priority for them.”
“I have been advised by the SEAI that the register of windows and doors contractors has now been published on its site. There are 104 contractors registered as of last week. When applying for individual measures, homeowners will now have the option of applying themselves and having the grant refunded once works are complete, or applying themselves and having the grant paid to the bank account of their contractor, who can choose to offer them a discount upfront. They can basically charge net, and they will claim it back. They can also apply through a participating one-stop shop or energy partner, which will carry out the works for the homeowners and pass on the grant savings as a discount on the works. All of that is now up on the SEAI website.”
“That will also apply to applications already in train and not already paid out. For the first time, homeowners can access a windows and doors grant as an individual measure for the installation of energy-efficient windows and doors to replace older ones that are performing poorly. That is for homes where the building fabric will meet, or already meets, a specified minimum performance standard. Many homes already meet this standard. We estimate that approximately 200,000 homeowners can apply right now for windows and doors grants of approximately €4,600. That is €800 per door and €3,000 for windows. They are significant amounts. The measure is designed to help homeowners to improve comfort and energy efficiency, while ensuring homes meet the building fabric standard suitable for our climate action targets.”
“To help first-time buyers of existing homes to get on the energy upgrade journey quickly and at minimal cost, I have brought forward a specific grant for attic insulation for these new homeowners. This will support first-time buyers who purchase an existing property and who might not be in a financial position to undertake a complete energy upgrade. The new heat pump system grant will reduce the costs associated with a whole house heating system upgrade and accelerate the uptake of heat pumps. A fixed amount grant for installing a heat pump system will be introduced. This grant is significant. It is €6,500 for the heat pump, €2,000 towards the radiator upgrades and pipework and a new renewable heating bonus of €4,000. That brings the maximum grant up to €12,500.”
“Further work needs to be done on the lead times from date of application to completion of work. I have met the SEAI on that too. Homeowners availing of the other grants we offer can take a step-by-step approach. Even if someone is waiting for the warmer homes scheme, they can apply for grants in the interim. They can apply for attic insulation, wall insulation and start to break the grants down. I want to see more people accessing it. I recognise that costs have increased since 2022. That is why we have upped the grant limits. We have upped the grant levels for cavity wall insulation and attic insulation. These higher fixed grants will substantially reduce costs for homeowners.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 157 together. We have a few questions on the SEAI grants, which we have revised to make them more accessible for families. More than 244,000 homes across the country have been retrofitted. We have invested approximately €1.7 billion in retrofitting to deliver permanent savings for households, to reduce emissions and energy use and to make homes warmer, safer and healthier. The national retrofitting plan, along with the new and enhanced set of measures I have mentioned, will continue to make home energy upgrades more accessible and affordable. That is the main reason we are breaking up those grants. We are going to protect the warmer homes scheme, which provides 100% grants. We have done approximately 32,700 homes in that space. We are targeting more than 11,000 this year.”
“We need battery storage to deploy our energy at the right times. We need more renewables. We need onshore and offshore wind and onshore solar, or else we will continue importing gas from third countries.”
“I will respond first to Deputy McCarthy, who tabled the question. Most of us are for sustainable, clean, renewable energy to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. We have had a good discussion and questions here about energy affordability. How do we drive that affordability? We drive that affordability by investing in our grid, by delivering projects like the North-South interconnector, by expanding our grid and grid resilience, and by expanding our renewables offering. There are communities that feel they have a concentration of different energy sources in their area. As the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, said in response to Deputy Ward, it is about looking at things like community benefit funds. I visited two battery installations in County Offaly last week, which are fully compliant with EU regulations.”
“The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is at initial stages of working on a national planning statement for the deployment of solar. It is important we are honest with people too, as the Deputy is being, that solar will continue to expand and is a very good source of clean energy for our country. It will reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuel as well and will ensure that we become energy-sovereign.”
“I understand the points the Deputy has raised. Solar is a relatively new but growing source of energy in Ireland. It is clean, green, sustainable and cheap energy. We have fine agricultural land across the country too and we need to make sure that we can continue to sustain our own population and sustain the agricultural and horticultural sector through our exports as well. We export over 80% of what we produce, as the Deputy knows. However, the advancement of renewables is critical to our energy security and to reaching our climate targets. The Deputy has rightly stated that any application that goes in for a wind farm, a solar farm or a biomethane plant is dealt with independently of the Government by the planning authority. I have seen applications approved; I have seen applications rejected.”
“Furthermore, I have been advised that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is at the early stages of preparing a new national planning statement on solar energy under the Planning and Development Act 2024. Under the accelerating renewable electricity task force, officials from my Department will continue to work closely with both the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the Department of housing on these ongoing reforms, which will act to support and facilitate the deployment of solar, which is critical to the decarbonisation of Ireland's economy and greater climate resilience.”
“The ESB has indicated that Ireland could expect the 8 GW of solar in Ireland by 2030 to require an area equal to about 0.26% of all agricultural land, based on a similar study in the UK. The statutory designation of lands for renewable energy development is undertaken by local authorities as part of the city and county development plan process, which may incorporate a local authority renewable energy strategy or a wind energy strategy. The SEAI is undertaking an update to the 2013 local authority renewable energy strategy methodology. This provides a robust, evidence-based and consistent approach for local authorities for the identification, assessment and planning for renewable energy development within their jurisdiction.”
“The programme for Government reaffirms Ireland's commitment to and our ambitious target of 8 GW of solar capacity connected to the grid by 2030, to assist with meeting the goal of 80% electricity demand supplied through renewables. Solar energy is now a growing source of electricity, with about 2.4 GW of solar power capacity in our grid and another 1 GW on rooftops. Going back 12 years, it was only 2 MW, so the growth is incredible. The installed capacity we have amounts to powering approximately 520,000 homes. As part of this capacity, as I said, there is already 1 GW of rooftop solar. However, further solar capacity is required for Ireland to meet its domestic and international targets.”
“Coupled with other grants available for housing estates of the age of Carlinn Hall, it might make things affordable. We will stay engaged on it.”
“Sure. We are drafting the heat networks (miscellaneous provisions) Bill. That will establish the regulatory model for district heating, including communal heating systems, to ensure consumer protections are in place and to support the delivery of a vibrant district heating industry. There is a genuine opportunity in Ireland in district heating. There is only one scheme in the whole country. We have a pipeline of approximately 20 others that could be delivered in the near term and that could make a difference to affordability. Using waste heat or excess heat is also critical. We will continue to provide any advice we can through the SEAI to residents of the estate. There is an opportunity for those concerned to examine the new suite of grants. The near-doubling of the heat-pump grant may make things more accessible for many households.”
“That is good news for residents. However, it is important to bear in mind that the Carlinn Hall heating system is privately owned and managed. The implementation of any recommendations from the report of the SEAI on Carlinn Hall, or indeed any premises wishing to switch to individual heat pump solutions, will be for individuals to decide on themselves. However, if we can continue to provide advice, we will.”
“I do. To be fair to the Deputy, he has raised the issue of Carlinn Hall residents, who find themselves in a very difficult situation. I will say two things on it. First, the enhanced grant for heat pumps is significant. Parking the politics, it has gone up to €12,500 and that might make the pumps more accessible. Second, at the request of the Deputy in the Dáil and elsewhere, and of Deputy McGreehan and others, we asked the SEAI to carry out a research project to provide assistance to residents in Carlinn Hall. It would be useful to examine the new grants to see whether they fit the residents’ circumstances. It is a communal system. Supports for geothermal drilling, which may offer another centralised solution for the Carlinn Hall development, have recently been approved as eligible under the SEAI support scheme for renewable heat.”
“The new recently announced heat pump system grant will reduce costs associated with a whole-house heating system upgrade. The new maximum grant is €12,500 and that encompasses the existing maximum of €6,500 for the heat pump, €2,000 for upgrading radiators and pipework and a new renewable heating bonus of €4,000. That is a seriously substantial increase and will make heat pumps much more accessible for people. All eligible homeowners can apply through the SEAI for these supports. With regard to converting from communal heating, individual homeowners, including those availing of a communal heating system, can apply for the individual heat pump grants.”
“These changed grants will be very impactful. I encourage all to make sure their constituents are informed of these new Government initiatives. The retrofit plan will continue to make home energy upgrades more accessible and affordable, making it easier for homeowners to undertake deep retrofits on a phased basis. That has been a big issue, particularly for middle-income families. While the grants are substantial, those families do not have the financial capacity to do all the work at one time. The new measures include new and enhanced attic and cavity wall insulation grants, an enhanced heat pump system grant of up to €12,500 and €4,800 for windows and doors, as well as other grants. These can be reintroduced and done on an individual basis.”
“We discussed this particular estate before. I will go back to something the Deputy mentioned that I did not get to answer - the Minister of State was answering - in relation to the North-South interconnector. There will be no further reviews. We have had four independent reviews. The North-South interconnector needs to proceed as planned and as consented to in the North and in the South. We have got to get on with it. To answer the Deputy's question, to support individual homeowners, and following Government approval last month, I published a new national residential retrofit plan with an enhanced set of measures to increase the delivery of home energy upgrades, including heat pump installations. The SEAI and I held a briefing last Tuesday attended by many Deputies across the House, which they found useful.”
“It will also be done on delivering on infrastructure that will bring about those savings, such as the North-South interconnector, which is a critical piece of infrastructure in this country that the Deputy's party is for in the North of Ireland and is against, apparently, in the Republic of Ireland. I am not sure. I asked Deputy Daly what the situation was there. This will deliver savings of over €100 per annum permanently for households and improve the grid resilience for all 32 counties in Ireland on an all-island and all-Ireland basis. I would have thought projects like that would have received the support of the Sinn Féin party. Apparently in the North they are supportive, and in the South, they are not.”
“We are targeting about 73,000 retrofits this year. That will bring our overall retrofit figure to well over 300,000. We are targeting 500,000 homes by the end of the decade. These are bringing about permanent changes for people. When we talk about energy prices - and I have already said this in response to Government and Opposition Deputies - we still have an issue, like many European countries, in relation to energy prices. We need to reduce them further. How are we going to do that? We are going to do that expanding renewables. We are doing well on renewables in solar and in wind.”
“People speak with their applications, that is, the tens of thousands of applications that we are receiving for these grants and the incredible interest in the new grant scheme that I have brought forward. I ask the Deputy not to lose sight of the fact that nearly 33,000 homes at risk of energy poverty or in energy poverty have been fully retrofitted with 100% grant aid through the carbon tax and the climate action fund. They are permanent savings for those low-income households. I will turn to social housing and what we have been able to do there as well.”
“We will agree to disagree because the carbon tax is ring-fenced and is due to bring permanent savings to households and to families. I have given the Deputy real, verified figures in relation to the number of homes. A total of 244,000 homes in this country have been retrofitted with the support of the grants, which I have just changed again to make them more accessible, particularly to middle-income families, by bringing forward a retrofitting passport. These include windows and doors grants, attic insulation grants and wall cavity grants. People do not have to go for the full deep retrofit and can access them. These measures bring about savings.”
“There has been significant investment and year-on-year growth in home energy upgrades under the national retrofit plan. In the period from 2019 to the end of 2025, those schemes have provided almost €1.7 billion in support to homeowners for over 244,000 home energy improvements, including almost 32,700 fully funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty under the warmer homes scheme, as well as approximately 18,000 heat pump installations. By any fair estimation, that is serious progress. Importantly, within that, in respect of those retrofits that are made to households, you are looking at savings of up to €1,200 per annum on energy bills. That is significant. They are permanent savings. They are making homes warmer, safer, more affordable and healthier in reducing the emissions and energy use from homes.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question. The programme for Government commits to using the carbon tax as a key tool to encourage a shift away from fossil fuels and to invest in a sustainable future. There are three areas within my Department that received funding from carbon tax revenue in the most recent budget. First, in the residential and community retrofit area, the budget allocation for 2026 is a record €641 million, including €558 million from the carbon tax. This will support over 73,000 home energy upgrades, including solar PV. This target also includes 11,500 fully funded home energy upgrades under the warmer homes scheme for households at risk of energy poverty. A record €340 million budget has been provided for this scheme for 2026.”
“The reason for the gap between the wholesale price and the retail price and the delay in reductions trickling down to the customer is that, because Ireland is importing so much, we are buying ahead or hedging. Those decreases therefore take longer to reach households. That is why we need to expand our renewable capacity. We are doing that year on year. I predict that this year will be a record year for the delivery of renewables with regard to both new projects and consents for new projects.”
“I was in Offaly last week, where Bord na Móna is doing work and where Statkraft is developing new battery storage facilities, which are critical. We now have nearly 1.5 GW of battery storage across the country. This allows us to plan and to distribute our energy, particularly renewable energy, at appropriate times to deal with peaks within the system. That is being expanded further. Offaly has actually been a leader in the delivery of renewable energy. At the same time, Bord na Móna is doing really good work with regard to habitat restoration. It is about increasing the amount of energy we own. It is also about clean, green and cheaper energy. We are overdependent on imported fossil fuels. Only about 25% of our gas is sourced domestically. The rest is imported. We are always at risk from the vagaries of the energy markets.”
“The national energy affordability task force, NEAT, I have established will be looking at the very make-up of our electricity bills. A lot of it does sit within the EU framework, however. Some of it is within our control and we will look at that. That report will be published in the third quarter of this year. I will look to bring further measures forward this year.”
“Energy costs are a real issue for households and small businesses in particular. I agree with the Deputy completely on that. We must do everything within our power to help to reduce those costs. With regard to real structural reform, she will know that the previous Government brought in energy tax credits. The State invested about €3.3 billion in that. That could not be sustained into the future. Instead of that, €3.5 billion is being invested in equity funding to EirGrid and ESB Networks so that they will be able to fund measures under PR6. That will be a step change. It is an investment in grid capacity and grid resilience and it will also drive affordability. I agree that we have to look at structural cost competitiveness.”
“The business support grants also deliver permanent savings. On a per capita basis, it is the most significant retrofitting investment that any European state is making. The focus of the task force has turned to the preparation of an energy affordability action plan. This will be completed in the third quarter of this year. That plan will include a review of the cost drivers within the energy sector and consideration of how the EU action plan for affordable energy and associated guidance can be implemented in an Irish context. The next meeting of that task force will take place in March. It is important to note that ongoing bilateral engagement and sectoral work also happens between meetings. There is more work to be done in that space and we are determined to do it.”
“It recommendations brought about a 15% or €5 per week increase in the fuel allowance, which will provide an additional €140 to over 450,000 recipients during the annual fuel allowance season. Eligibility for that has also been extended to those in receipt of the working family payment, which is about another 50,000 households. In addition, the extension of the reduced VAT rate of 9%, which applies to gas and electricity, has been extended to 2030. This provides real clarity to energy consumers and reduces bills for households by about €100 per year. This year, we will also be investing in the region of €640 million to support residential and community upgrade schemes. This includes €340 million for the warmer homes scheme, which provides 100% grants, delivering permanent savings for households.”
“I thank the Deputy very much for raising this very important issue regarding energy affordability. The latter is a priority for the Government. I answered a similar question from Deputy Daly earlier. In June of last year, we established the national energy affordability task force. Its job is to identify, assess and implement measures in the short term that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses, while delivering key renewable commitments, protecting security of supply and ensuring economic stability. The task force membership includes representatives from various Departments and key energy stakeholders. Its first report set out measures for consideration in the context of budget 2026.”
“Maybe not all by 2030, but there is real momentum in that space. There is real momentum across the renewables sector, both wind and solar. We are now seeing an advancement in biomethane, and work is also being done district heating. There is a lot to be positive about.”
“To be clear, there will be a cost recovery on private wires by those who deliver them. There will be no increase in costs. That methodology will be worked through. That will be discussed as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny that the committee will be going through tomorrow. In the context of the advancement in renewables, if I go back 15 years, only 13% of our electricity was generated by renewables. At the end of 2024, it was over 40%. It is not the case that the increase in renewables is being gobbled up by data centres. That is simply not true. Our job is to accelerate the delivery of renewables, both solar and wind, and to get offshore into construction by the end of the decade, which we will do. That will be critical in the context of allowing us to meet our climate action obligations and targets. It can be done.”
“In relation to PR6, which is the biggest investment that we have ever made in our grid, we are looking at, on average, about €18 per annum of an additional charge per household. That is about €1.50 per month. The North-South interconnector alone will deliver savings to households of over €100 per annum. That is why it is critical that projects of this sort are delivered. The cost to which I refer will be well offset by savings.”
“The large energy user policy is really clear when it comes to the future growth of large energy users such as data centres. They will have to bring forward 80% of that energy as new renewable energy. We are the first country to do this. It will not be a drain on our existing resources. It will be about providing additional renewable resources. I have been clear with regard to private wires. Private wires should be and are a positive thing. They will unlock a lot of opportunities and investment. They will ensure the delivery of additional networks across our country that will be up to the same standard as our own grid. As already stated, the private wires entities will pay the full cost of the services that they seek from or that are provided to them by the national electricity grid.”
“The relevant methodology will be created in line with the private wires policy, ensuring that private wire entities will pay the full cost of the service they have sought from or that is provided to them by the national electricity grid. The general scheme introduces a licensing regime whereby the CRU can recover such costs and introduce a charging methodology. The specifics around that in the context of the potential for disconnection charges, a standby network charge and more will be outlined in subsequent regulations drafted by the Department. Effectively, there will be a cost-recovery mechanism in respect of those who deliver them and those who are using them.”
“The Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy, of which the Deputy is a member, will undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the private wires Bill this week. It is the intention that the eventual Bill will complete its passage through the Oireachtas as early as possible this year. I am aware that the committee is going to deal with the general scheme in a truncated manner. However, I ask those involved to note that it is critical that we get the Bill, when it is forthcoming, passed. I will be seeking co-operation from those on all sides of the House to see if we can do that as quickly as possible. On the Deputy's question, the policy statement that was approved last July and that gave way to the introduction of private wires will require a review of the network recovery charges.”
“It is critical that we get the legislation on private wires through. The Deputy is broadly supportive of what is proposed. It will make a significant difference here. The general scheme was approved on 16 December 2025. Since then, my Department has been engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government, OPC, to begin drafting the legislation required to bring forth the private wires regime. I assure the Deputy that introducing this regime is an absolute priority. From electricity generation to a point-to-point scenario, I believe that we can deliver further projects by using private wires. However, they are going to have to be up to the same standard that applies in the context of delivering our own grid.”
“We will embark on drafting legislation in respect of the CRU. There is a commitment in the programme for Government that we will look to work with the CRU to reform its structures and examine its mandate. I will deal with the Deputy and the Oireachtas committee at the appropriate time. I would welcome his input.”
“I should have said in response to the Deputy's initial question that I welcome the publication of the grids package. The package speaks to the issue across all member states whereby we collectively invest in our grid system and look at expanding interconnection and see where the EU can assist in the context of funding between member states and third countries. I again ask the Deputy to clarify the position of his party regarding the North-South interconnector. Does Sinn Féin support it or not? Does it agree that it is a critical piece of infrastructure on this island? There is a 32-county, all-Ireland electricity market. If anything, one would have thought that we would collectively support improving the resilience of that market. The North-South interconnector is critical to that.”
“This is why it is imperative that we invest in our grid at a rate we have never seen before and deliver projects like the North-South interconnector, on which the Deputy's party has different views north and south of the Border. The bringing forward of legislation might afford the Deputy an opportunity to clarify the position of the main Opposition party with regard to that important infrastructure.”
“When Sinn Féin publishes its legislation, I will certainly look at it in a constructive manner. Data centres underpin an important technology sector in this country that employs hundreds of thousands of people. We have not had a situation, nor will we, where a data centre is connected ahead of a housing development. That just does not happen. It has not happened. We need to be at the cutting edge when it comes to technology. We should not turn away either indigenous or foreign direct investment. We need to look at expanding capacity in order to accommodate that investment and deal with the increasing energy demand we have. That demand is going to increase by another 50% between now and 2035.”
“It details what those grid investments will deliver. There is no question of putting data centres ahead of residential developments. That has not happened and will not happen. We also need to grow our industrial base and create jobs for our people. We need to ensure that we have a grid which supports growth in our residential and enterprise sectors.”
“Having said that, PR6, which is the grid investment I spoke about in my previous response to the Deputy, details what we need to do with our grid to be able to deal with the growth that will occur in the residential housing market, the industrial sector and all other sectors, including transport. Record investment of €18.9 billion over this period will deal with those demands. We need to expand our grid by way of distribution, storage and generation. The last full year for which I have data on generation through renewables is 2024. In that year, over 40% of our electricity was generated via renewables. That is growing which is a good thing but we need to improve the resilience of our grid and expand it which we will do. That is why on behalf of the State we are investing €3.5 billion in equity in EirGrid and ESB. PR6 has been published.”