I thank the Minister. I ask him to expand on the potential implications in the context of oil and related liquid fuels. There have been reports on the prospect of liquified natural gas, LNG, usage in the context of the energy security review. We have heard different things from different parties in government and different State agencies, whether the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, EirGrid or other agencies that have appeared at the climate committee. What is the position in respect of LNG? Is there a diffe…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. The British Government published its own energy security strategy last night and it is very ambitious in respect of the ramping up and delivery of renewables, which is something that needs to be factored in to our own energy security review. This question is about the roll-out of the national broadband plan and the number of premises that have been passed. Some 60,000 premises were to be connected by the end of January, which was then pushed out to the end of March…

There were a lot of figures in the Minister of State's response and I noted some of them. Importantly, the original target for the end of January 2022 was 115,000 premises. That was reduced to 60,000 a number of months ago. By the end of January, about 35,000 houses were passed. NBI told us at the end of January that by the end of March it would be back on track and would hit that 60,000 target. Now the Minister of State tells the Dáil that, instead of 60,000, NBI passed approximately 42,000 premises between the en…

The important element is the number of premises passed. That is the real metric. People can avail of broadband when it is available to them. The pre-order and under-construction elements are just a distraction, but it is important there is a pipeline in that regard. Can the Minister of State outline what sanctions there are? Are they just for NBI or are they for Eir too? Eir has a responsibility for its make-ready process. I know there are problems within the system. What sanctions are there? Are they kicking in an…

How much is that?

How much has NBI been fined so far?

I ask the Minister what additional resources are being provided to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, and EirGrid to account for the increased workload as a result of offshore wind developments and other developments; and the discussions he has held with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the need to provide extra resources to An Bord Pleanála for the same reason. It continues on the theme from my last question. We have heard from many agencies and stakeholders about the defici…

I will start where the Minister finished, on EirGrid. I must say that concerns have been raised both publicly and privately. There have been media reports in recent weeks. There are real concerns about EirGrid's capacity to deliver on what it needs to deliver on. In terms of the grid connections, it is not even fit to tell us when it will deliver on what it is committing to deliver on. It will be the end of this year before EirGrid gives us a timeline on its 48 projects. It is saying very publicly that there is not…

That is where I want to go next. We heard from the CRU that it plans to bring in 74 additional staff. We were out at Dublin Airport on Monday, so we are aware of the challenges involved in recruiting staff in the current climate. We are talking about a specific cohort of people. Do we even have the capacity within the State at this point to fill those 74 positions? First, will there be agreement from Government to deliver them and how quickly can they be delivered? On An Bord Pleanála, the Minister is aware that Wi…

I want to come in on that point. We should never have ended up here, and that is my firm opinion. A central tenet of EirGrid’s current plan is community engagement and the Minister points towards learning the lessons of the past. We can see it in Grid West, on which there was huge confrontation and resistance, and that is going underground for the Connacht project. This is a matter of procedural justice and EirGrid is just being belligerently pigheaded in this regard. The most recent review is the latest example of…

I am sharing time with Deputies Ó Murchú, Patricia Ryan and Martin Browne. I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. The carbon budgets were proposed by the independent CCAC and, after detailed scrutiny and engagement with stakeholders, were recommended for adoption by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action, though not unanimously. The advisory council’s evidence at the committee hearings was clear: we need immediate and urgent action, a whole-of-government approach and a complete reorientation an…

Fuel costs are more than 70% of a taxi driver's running costs. In the past year the price of diesel has risen by 33%, petrol is up 30%, tyres are up 50%, oil changes are up from €90 to €140 and other running costs are up. After two brutal years of Covid, taxi drivers are at the pin of their collar. They need support or they will go to the wall. They need more action on fuel costs. Will the Government do more on fuel costs? Hauliers were given €100. Other practical measures can be taken such as addressing the nine-y…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter, which has to do with the significant challenge facing school bus operators and the wider coach industry. The considerable increase in the cost of petrol and diesel has had an impact on every aspect of the transport sector but is having a particularly severe impact on the coach industry. From what we hear, the school transport system is on the verge of collapse because of a lack of Government support. The Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, CTTC, whi…

I thank the Minister of State. I am sure that, like me and other Deputies, he has been contacted by school bus operators. I have been contacted by operators from across the country in my capacity as transport spokesperson. One in my constituency has 24 school contracts. It signed those when diesel was at 90 cent per litre. It buys 14,300 litres of diesel per week, which lasts only ten days. It has 27 staff but does not know what the future holds for them. I accept the Minister of State's response, in which he outli…

Today's globalised economy is overwhelmingly based on a linear model of production and consumption. We take, make and then waste. The environmental impact of a linear throwaway model in which we extract great quantities of natural resources to make things we may only use once before disposing of them is not sustainable. It is estimated the raw material resources we use in a year is already 50% more than nature can replenish in a year. On present trends, this will rise to a factor of three by 2050. The circular econ…

Energy providers are recording record profits at a time of pandemic and war and when families are being driven into poverty. Energia, SSE Airtricity and the ESB are three examples. It is reported ESB will report record profits of €679 million for 2021, up 10% on 2020. To give some perspective, the Government's cost-of-living package was €505 million. The European Commission is very clear and it has spelt out how governments can, and should, assess and tackle excessive crisis-related windfall profits. Does the Gover…

Is there any assessment-----

This Government response is totally inadequate and insufficient. In the short time I have available to me, I want to make the case on behalf of the transport and logistics sector, the sector that keeps supply lines open and people and goods moving. It includes hauliers, private coach operators, school bus operators, coach tourism operators and taxi drivers. Businesses from the four corners of the State have been in contact with me in recent days crying out for support. A haulier in my county who has been drawing fr…

I ask the Minister of State the status of the steps taken to identify and resolve issues between volunteers and management of the Irish Coast Guard generally, and the status of the reconstitution of the Doolin Coast Guard unit.

We have seen the Mulvey report, which identified a breakdown of mutual trust, respect and confidence. That was a real concern and still is, in many respects, because the Doolin unit has not yet been fully reconstituted. What is the volunteer complement at the moment, on an interim basis? How does it compare to the full capacity? Is the Minister of State satisfied that the interim arrangement is safe, comprehensive and fit for purpose, on an interim basis? Recommendations were made on further engagement in respect o…