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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“I assure the Deputy that I am taking this commitment forward as a priority. Work is under way in my Department, in conjunction with the NTA, to identify the most appropriate organisational structure to progress it. Last week, my Department officials and I met the Minister for justice and his team to examine the role they will have in the establishment of the force. We will continue that engagement towards its implementation to ensure the positive collaboration between An Garda Síochána and the operators is maintained. We are in the preliminary stages of this deliberative process and it is important to note that the introduction of such a force will require the development of legislation. Work will also be required in respect of existing by-laws.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question on what is a real and important issue for public transport users. We debated it in some detail yesterday. Particularly among those who do not use public transport often, they can have a certain perception of the level of safety on it. To the Deputy's specific question, antisocial behaviour is a broad societal issue to which public transport is not immune. It is those passengers and staff who regularly use and work within our public transport network who are most directly impacted by any safety or security incidents that occur. We have a strong commitment in the programme for Government to create a transport security force under the NTA, which would operate similarly and have similar powers to airport police and customs officers. That will supplement the work already being done by An Garda Síochána.”
“I am looking at options, as I said here last week, for how I can reframe the grants. That will potentially require Government approval. I am also looking at options regarding second-hand EVs, which I will bring forward later this year. I will be happy to share those proposals with the transport committee once they are approved.”
“We are trying to cover a lot in a short time. We will have a chance to go through a lot of these points in more detail at the transport committee, which is meeting tomorrow, and at the environment committee. Regarding EV charging, under the motorway infrastructure scheme, 131 additional high-powered charging points across 17 different locations on the motorway network will be delivered by the end of this year. There is also a scheme to fund high-powered charging on national primary routes, with 175 high-powered charging points to be provided at 53 different locations. The infrastructure is certainly increasing and will increase further. The Deputy referred to issues with accessibility to EVs in respect of income and in areas that do not have as much public transport as others.”
“I respect the work of the CCAC, which is why I met its members in plenary session. The chair was there and I met her separately as well. I value the council's input and it will inform any policy changes we make into the future.”
“I said last week that I am reviewing the EV grants. We have made significant progress. The Deputy referred to the reduction in growth in that sector last year but he did not mention that quarter 1 of this year saw a significant rebound in EV sales and registrations. Today, I brought to Government a policy on renewable fuels for transport, which sets out the ambition in this regard. It takes into account the sustainability issues the CCAC has, rightly, highlighted. No one is denying, in any way, shape or form, the challenges ahead in meeting our very exacting targets. However, if we look at where we have come from in regard to EVs, electrification of the public transport fleet and alternative fuel use by the heavy goods vehicle, HGV, sector and by the bus fleet across the country, progress has undoubtedly been made.”
“We are confident we will achieve our electric vehicle, EV, targets for 2025, with 177,000 EVs on the road at this point of the year and a continued rebound in EV sales. Public transport passenger numbers are now at record levels, registering more than 1 million journeys daily. Our renewable fuel blending ambitions are on target as well, with a growing number of private sector entities ramping up their use of low-carbon fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO, and compressed natural gas, CNG.”
“While there has been an unprecedented level of investment in sustainable transport and electric vehicle, EV, supports over recent years, I fully agree with the council's assessment that we are not yet achieving the pace of change required to achieve our 2030 climate objectives. The report acknowledges that, despite challenges, good progress has been made, particularly in the increased usage and expansion of public transport services, which we debated last week, with broad acknowledgement across the House of progress made. That progress has benefited from the Government's support for reduced public transport fees, which we will further expand later this year by way of free transport for five- to eight-year-olds.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question. I welcome the publication of the Climate Change Advisory Council's annual sectoral review of the transport sector. I recently met with the council and, separately, with its chair, Marie Donnelly. We had a very constructive discussion. My Department and I will be reviewing this report and its recommendations. I certainly will take them into account as we update our approach to the next iteration of the climate action plan later this year, which will be its 26th iteration. The annual report from the CCAC is a critical input into our policy approach.”
“I am in the middle of the NDP review with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, on behalf of the Department of Transport. I am working hard in that regard to ensure we can get as many of the additional resources we require to continue to invest. I fully recognise and emphasise the important role that public transport plays in all of our lives. I am acutely aware of a lot of the concerns that have been raised. There are a lot of very specific issues, which I will endeavour to have the Department respond to. I encourage Deputies across the House, regardless if they are in government or opposition, to reach out and make contact where there are specific instances and examples we can work on together. I thank Deputy O'Gorman for tabling this useful Motion. It has been a constructive debate heretofore.”
“There will probably always be more demand with a growing population. We want to get to a stage where we can make a step change and start to catch up with that demand. On the all-Ireland rail review implementation, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, noted in his opening statement that work was ongoing with the EIB and rail stakeholders, both North and South, to consider how best to sequence the review's recommendations. That is a commitment in the programme for Government. The national development plan, NDP, review will be important. Deputy O'Gorman has been through iterations of that in different budget discussions. Public transport is key. Indeed, transport is key to our citizens' quality of life, growth within our country, accessibility and connectivity.”
“I have met Local Link as well. There can perhaps be better route designs, which has been mentioned during this debate, in linking up routes to other routes, but the numbers speak for themselves in terms of rural transport and how people are responding to it. It is an area that we will continue to accelerate. There will be resource implications. When I say "resource", I mean drivers. From my meeting with Bus Éireann this morning, the five-year plan it will bring forward this year will probably require 1,000 extra staff in net terms. School bus services have been mentioned. That is somewhat out of my remit, but where drivers are concerned, we need to solve the issue of over-70s school bus drivers. The expansion of school bus places to pupils has been transformative, and there is more demand.”
“If one is in a wheelchair or is mobility impaired, it will make it much better. Our public transport system should be available to everyone regardless of physical ability or the physical impediments he or she might have. The Taoiseach has established a unit within his Department that will focus on disability, reflecting our commitment in the programme for Government to a step change in the supports and services required by people with disabilities. It is fundamental that people can access public transport services, and we want to ensure that happens and improves. I will be engaging with that unit on the emphasis of addressing wider issues, such as ensuring that all public transport operators provide safe access to all passengers. Great strides have been made with rural transport in recent years. We want to accelerate that.”
“I believe I mentioned to Deputy O'Gorman when he asked about it during our previous Question Time that the middle or end of 2027 was the timeframe. It will entice a lot more people onto public transport. It will be a better system than the system in Britain and will be account based as well. Accessibility on public transport for disabled people is one of the matters I was discussing with Bus Éireann. We have done a lot of good work in this space. It is a priority for me, too. We have seen Iarnród Éireann move, with the 15 hub stations where people with disabilities and mobility issues do not have to wait an outrageous 24 hours anymore. Now, if someone requires assistance, he or she will get it within an hour at most. The new rail cars that are being tested right now are all fully accessible using a ramp-to-platform basis.”
“It will improve over the next two years but there are, unfortunately, still situations, particularly on our bus network, with buses not showing up or disappearing from the app. As recently as yesterday, I had a complaint from my daughter about that very thing when two buses were cancelled. I have good engagement with the NTA. We have been able to find out issues around resources. Next-generation ticketing was mentioned. The contract has been in place with Indra Sistemas since last year. It is complex; a new IT system is being built. The Leap card works well but we want that contactless system across all of the public transport network. The comprehensive governance model has been implemented to oversee the project. It is an important project and will come to fruition.”
“We will need primary legislation, so I will look for co-operation and assistance from the Opposition in that regard. Many surveys have been published as regards customer experience. Broadly, people feel safe but there are pinch points and black spots. Those who do not use public transport, interestingly, have a worse perception of safety. It is stopping people from using public transport. People who do not use it have specific fears. We need more gardaí and visibility, which we are seeing. The transport security force can augment that. That has been well documented in passenger experiences. Reliability was mentioned. I have raised in the House previously how people need to be able to be confident in the real-time data.”
“Twelve are now through planning, approximately seven are being challenged and back with the board, and there are various other challenges, but we can start them as well. We are rolling out Connecting Ireland in rural Ireland to enhance factors such as frequency, accessibility and reliability. DART+, DART+ South West, DART+ West and DART+ Coastal North have come through planning. As Deputy O'Gorman will know, my predecessor in the previous Government, Eamon Ryan, oversaw the first significant batch of new rolling stock for our rail lines. It is being tested and commissioned right now. I am committed to transport security. I have already advanced proposals within the Department as to what that force will look like and how it will operate. I will meet the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, as we also need input from the Department of justice.”
“We are supporting new and enhanced bus and rail services as well. Further measures introduced this year include the extension of free travel for children from the ages of five years to eight years. Most recently, there was the roll-out of the NTA distance-based fare and fairer fares. The equitable fares strategy will result in significant reductions for many. We will continue to do that. It helps people to change their behaviours and habits, particularly younger people, if they get used to using public transport at an early age. It leads to them continuing to do that into the future. We need to fund public transport services. We are focused on existing fare initiatives and service improvements such as BusConnects. I am pleased to say that tenders are in for three of the BusConnects corridors. At least one will start this year.”
“Public transport is key in the delivery of this goal and in enabling us to make continued progress with regard to our climate obligations. On fares, the Government is committed to delivering an accessible, reliable and affordable public transport system for all citizens, including children. In the programme for Government, our commitments include the roll-out of contactless payments and keeping fares affordable. We saw the announcement of fairer fares, their implementation and an examination of the further expansion of free public transport for children. We have extended the 20% fare reduction and a 90-minute fare on public service obligation services until the end of 2025 so that everyone will benefit. We have also extended the 50% reduction available for young adults on PSO and commercial bus services until the end of this year.”
“It has been a useful debate and people are supportive of the Government's commitment to deliver an accessible, affordable and reliable public transport network throughout the country. In the motion and contributions from Deputies, we heard about a range of challenges, but also the progress that had been made and the range of opportunities in public transport. There were record public transport numbers last year, which we want to accelerate. I believe we are all in agreement about wanting to provide a strong public transport network that serves the needs of all members of society in rural and urban areas. As the House is aware, the Government is strongly committed to providing all of our citizens with reliable, realistic and sustainable mobility options, as outlined in the programme for Government.”
“I thank Deputy O'Gorman for tabling this useful motion. I fully understand it is difficult for many Deputies to resist the temptation and not go into the micro and macro. From the contributions, people have recognised that significant progress has been made in public transport and want to work together to accelerate that progress further. It has been a good debate. I was at a Bus Éireann board meeting for the first hour of this debate, so the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, was here for that part. I am happy to make concluding remarks. I am confident we can all agree it is essential that the Government continues investing in the public transport network. We will not oppose the motion.”
“The technology is not there yet with plug-in heat pumps, so unless there is a very deep retrofit on the home, people do not opt for them. I have asked the SEAI to come up with certain options for that on how we might be able to break down our grants with respect to what levels of work one needs to do. I have received a report on that and I am assessing it. I will bring forward options, including, most importantly, perhaps new options, for householders over the coming months.”
“I will be really quick because I will supply the Deputy with the written answer, but I should have said earlier that I have tasked the SEAI with looking at options with its grants. I do not mean increasing the amount of grants but seeing how we can break them down and make them more accessible. I am also doing that with electric vehicles and looking at options for low- to middle-income families, including scrappage and seeing whether there is anything we can do in rural parts. The heat pumps seem to have plateaued in relation to delivery last year, though not on new homes. They have been extremely successful on new homes. The retrofitting and installation of heat pumps can be extremely invasive for householders as well.”
“CRU will then look at connection agreements, especially the large energy user policy on which it has engaged with stakeholders, not just on the data centre side but across the board.”
“The plan will be cognisant of what energy capacity we have. That is across the board. I do not give the connection agreements. They are done independently. The Deputy will know that some data centres have not been given connection agreements. It has already happened where it is not deemed appropriate. We need to plan for the future too. That is why I mentioned 2030 and that life exists post 2030. Some project timelines for planning and delivery will be past that date. The priority for this Government is delivering housing for our people and investing in our grid, water and public transport. Electric vehicle charging and the advancement of electric vehicles also takes capacity from our grid, as will heat pumps and more homes, jobs and people. PR6 takes that into account.”
“There is still significant potential in onshore renewables. I mentioned the auction later this year, RESS 5, which I believe will be heavily subscribed. These projects already have connection agreements and planning permission. There has already been significant growth there. We want to see construction in our offshore renewable projects in the next couple of years. I am just being honest; it unlikely we will see those projects fully connected to our grid by 2029 or 2030. There will possibly be one. The remainder will come in early 2030 and 2031. Life exists post 2030. The year 2030 is a target date set clearly in our climate targets but there are years after that. Last year, we hit 5 GW of onshore. We have vast potential to do a lot more and we will because we have put the infrastructure in place to do that.”
“I will not say it is dishonest but it is disingenuous to continue with this argument that there is a conflict between economic growth, investment in our grid and housing growth; there is not.”
“Independently of me - it is not just me saying it - the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, through EirGrid and ESB Networks, has already put forward its plans up to 2030, which will deal with 50,000 homes per year, the homes Government said it wants to deliver over its term, and deal with economic growth. Look at what our energy system has been able to do. Going back to 1990, the economy has grown sixfold, the population is up 50% and we built 135,000 homes in the previous Government, of which the Deputy was part. No one came to me and said an estate was not being built because there was a big data centre or large pharmaceutical or other company across the road.”
“There is no clear preference for data centres over anything else. That is just not correct. Our priorities are for the delivery of housing and additional water infrastructure, investing in our energy grid and supporting indigenous jobs and investment and FDI. This is a red herring, trying to bring forward the narrative that we are not connecting houses to the grid because we are connecting large energy users instead. That is not true; that is not the case. We have already contracted headroom to deal with large energy users up to 2030.”
“That is clean, green energy, it is our energy, it is sustainable, and it is reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and on others for supplies of our energy. The Greenlink interconnector from Wexford to Britain is now electrified. There will be completion shortly of the Celtic interconnector. All that energy infrastructure has been put in place. There is no question of us increasing our dependence on fossil fuels. We are moving on and will continue to do that.”
“While respecting the planning decisions recently made by An Bord Pleanála, some of those projects are now out to further information, which will delay their commencement, but those ORESS 1 developers are still committed to developing those offshore renewables. We learned a lot from that. We also have the south coast DMAP which went through without a judicial review. The accelerated national DMAP which will be completed by 2027. Let us not forget about onshore. There is significant interest in the next auction this year. There will be significant participation in onshore wind and onshore solar. Look at what we have been able to do on solar - in 2018, 0.6% of energy was generated through solar in this country. Now, on a good day it is about 14%. The average in the last full year was just over 3%. It is growing and growing.”
“There is no dispute within my Department and the Secretary General is a very committed public servant who I work with extremely well. We are all in agreement that we need to expand our energy generation through renewables, which we are doing, and improve our grid resilience and the capacity of our grid across the country. This is what we will be doing to ensure that we can meet not competing demands, but demands across all sectors. Housing for our people is fundamental. It is never in question. Deputy O'Gorman stated that our digital economy was now well supported by that 21% of energy it was using. I am assuming by him saying this that he supports this happening or would he reverse that? Our job is to ensure we expand renewables in particular.”
“Some of the largest employers in this country - in Deputy O'Gorman's own constituency - are located in Ireland because their data is located here, too. There is headroom to 2030 on already committed connection agreements, and that is not instead of housing. Those who present this as an issue of data centres getting connections instead of housing are simply not correct. It might be populous to say that but it is not correct.”
“The level of investment over the term of this Government in our grid, both in distribution and generation, will be unprecedented. It will be multiples of the previous one. We must also ensure as a country that we remain at the cutting edge of new technologies. Housing is an absolute priority for this Government. In the previous Government, we delivered 135,000 new homes. It was not a question of any sector above housing; housing was the number one priority and remains so. Under the national development plan review, however, the three main priorities are housing, water and energy. That is critical. I do not think anybody could or should disagree with that. Look at the jobs underpinned by the investment in data and digital infrastructure in this country.”
“We are not going to annihilate our climate targets. This Government is as committed as the previous Government was to the energy transition, reducing emissions and working as hard as we can to achieve the targets that have been set. On the expansion of renewable energy, 40% of all our energy last year was generated through renewables. We have made incredible progress in that regard, not just in the previous Government, but since 2005. In 2005, 7% of our electricity was generated by renewables, but that figure is 40% 20 years later. There are real opportunities with offshore renewables. There are now five projects out to further information and planning on the east coast and there has been the Government decision on the national DMAP to accelerate the delivery of offshore renewables. Investment in our grid is absolutely critical.”
“The programme for Government seeks to address the challenges between balancing energy needs by committing to scale up investment in critical infrastructure and our electricity grid. It will be advantageous for customers and enhance the data centre and digital economy footprint to support continued FDI investment.”
“These plans form a vital part in the system operator's submission to the next price review. This sets out the level of investment required for the next five years, which will probably be in the region of €13.4 billion to €15 billion. If we compare that to previous investment of approximately €5 billion, it is unprecedented but it is needed. The CRU is currently reviewing the proposals from ESB Networks and EirGrid for the requirements for investment. Submissions made to the CRU propose a significant uplift in the investment, which will come to pass, in distribution and transmission to support the requirements of a growing population and economy. The exact level will form part of the CRU's final determination.”
“Digital services are critically important for the future economic development of this country. It is not a question of one or the other. The CRU will bring forward the large energy users document that went out to public consultation, particularly with regard to PR6. When it does, we will see a plan-led approach not only to grid development, but also to energy delivery for all of our business sectors, the digital sector and housing. It will take into account the need for 50,000 homes per year over the period of PR6 as well as the additional energy required to meet the targets of nearly 1 million EV charging points. The system operators, EirGrid and ESB Networks, assess the expected future demand on the system, for example, economic and population growth, housing, EVs and heat pumps, as part of the network development plans.”
“It also states our ambition to achieve energy independence by harnessing our untapped renewable energy resources and recognises that increased and unprecedented investment and delivery in our grid and expanding our energy generation capacity are priorities. Three main priorities in the NDP review are energy, housing and water. Price review 6 later this year will see a multiple of price review 5 and the investment in our grid because we need to expand our grid capacity for generation and distribution to meet the needs we have. Transitioning to a renewables-led system remains a key priority to ensure Ireland’s energy security and economic competitiveness. Energy security underpins the delivery of essential infrastructure, including new housing developments and digital services.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 138 together. Ireland's energy policy is focused on achieving a sustainable, secure and competitive energy system with key elements centred around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energy generation - 40% of our energy was generated through renewables last year - as well as improving energy efficiency and ensuring energy security. Members will see from previous questions how difficult this can be in certain areas with the politicising of projects that will hinder our delivery of much-needed grid infrastructure. The new programme for Government outlines the Government's position regarding energy, housing, FDI policy and many other goals and reflects the balance between the various needs, opportunities and challenges facing the country.”
“Could the Deputy let me answer? There are many residents who have consented. There is a need for further engagement but the reality is that if we go back through a planning process again, we would be talking about 2040. What will have happened then is that we will have less ability to bring more renewables on to our grid and will not have reduced costs for consumers North and South so we need to find a way forward on this. This is fully consented. It has gone through the planning process. I met residents in Monaghan during the previous Dáil.”
“This is a critical piece of infrastructure for the island. It has gone on for far too long. I remember this as well going way back to 2005. I remember protests in north Dublin about undergrounding coming from Wales into Rush and discussions and arguments around electromagnetic fields. I respect Deputy Carthy's point of view but he did not mention that there are many residents and landowners who have consented-----”
“The project should have been delivered by 2030 and now it will not be. The revised date is 2031. We need the interconnector. Work has started in the North subject to challenge there too. Work should start in the South too. There are lessons to be learned. Engagement in some areas has been difficult. I am not going to apportion blame on either side. I have been in the Oireachtas since 2007. I know we have dealt with the east-west interconnector. The North-South interconnector has always a bone of contention in certain areas but if we want more renewables on our grid, if we want a stronger grid and if we want to reduce energy prices for customers on the island of Ireland, this project is needed. The reviews have stated clearly that undergrounding is not an option. It is fully consented in the North and the South. The project should proceed.”
“Following this, I met with it and set out that this Government supports electricity grid delivery and that the interconnector was central to it. Separately in March, I responded to correspondence from Monaghan County Council setting out the Government's support for this project and I asked the council to engage with EirGrid. My officials and I will continue to work to support the quickest possible delivery of electricity grid projects and the North-South interconnector.”
“In March 2023, the Government noted and published an independent report on the project, which concluded it would not be feasible to run the North-South interconnector underground. That was the third review of the project and it confirmed that the findings of the 2018 report remained valid. As a transmission project, it is being undertaken by EirGrid, which is independently regulated by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, The CRU is accountable to the relevant Oireachtas committee and not to me, as Minister. The Government does not have any role in the delivery of the electricity infrastructure on the ground. In February, EirGrid announced a delay in the completion of the North-South interconnector.”
“The North-South interconnector is an essential transmission infrastructure project that will link the electricity transmission network between South and North on the island of Ireland, leading to a much more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island, operating in a single electricity market. The project is fully consented in the State and in the North, with full planning permission granted for overhead lines in both jurisdictions. Once complete, the North-South interconnector will facilitate the connection of 900 MW of renewable generation, which is enough to power 600,000 homes. It is an incredibly significant project that is of critical importance to all citizens on the whole island.”
“The focus must be and is on housing, but in parallel with that is grid investment. We will see grid investment over the course of the term of this Government like we have never seen before in order to allow us to distribute the additional energy we are creating through renewables right across our network in order that we can power more homes and more businesses throughout the country.”
“In the context of PR6 and the previous review, it is not a question that it is data centres first at all. PR6 takes into account Government targets and includes the connection of up to 50,000 new homes per year, up to 1 million electric vehicles and currently contracted data centre demand, which means currently contracted data centres - no new ones - and those with contracted connection agreements. There is no question of data centres or other large users gobbling up, as the Deputy says, energy instead of housing being built. That is not happening, and that will not happen under PR 6. When the CRU published the draft plan on large energy users, there was significant stakeholder engagement. The strategy into the future will be very much a plan-led approach to connection and a medium-term outlook.”
“Some of the largest employers and FDI investors in this country also hold their data here. It is not a question of one or the other. Unquestionably, our priority is housing. The Deputy will see from PR6 later this year the level of investment that will be in our grid for the next five years. It will be multiples of PR5, and the national development plan will further support increased investment in housing and our grid.”
“I am sure the Deputy and his party have interacted in respect of the CRU's draft statement on large energy users. There is a strategy being brought forward that is plan led rather than developer led, and that is critically important. There is no question that the number one priority for this Government is housing and continuing to increase of housing delivery. We also have to invest in our grid. It is housing, the grid and water. Three critical things we need to do over the next five years is improve our infrastructure in order to support housing delivery and FDI development. We also need to ensure that we continue to be at the cutting edge of new technologies. There is a view among some people that all data centres are bad and are not required at all in this country.”