An extension of the lower VAT rate for the hospitality sector is being timed in a way to give the industry the best chance of getting back on its feet after Covid-19, according to Minister Eamon Ryan | Read more: https://t.co/NCy8xQ825S pic.twitter.com/rSK1jNLjp2
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) May 10, 2022
This morning.
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan arriving for cabinet.
“I’ll be perfectly honest, I‘ll be looking at the science there to make sure, are we absolutely certain that those peat briquettes, because of the way they are processed, because of they way they burn, are below the 10 micrograms of pollution that is put out into the atmosphere.
Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan (top), last night during a dail debate on the sale of turf
Meanwhile…
…via RTÉ News:
a spokesperson for the Minister insisted that it is not envisaged peat briquettes would be banned from September.
They pointed out Bord na Móna has already said that its briquettes will comply with the ten grams per hour emissions rate.
However, they said all briquette producers are likely to be asked for proof to show that they are in compliance with the new regulations.
Ryan says peat briquettes could be included in smoky fuel ban (RTE)
This morning.
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan arrives for cabinet.
Meanwhile…
…via Irish Examiner:
Eamon Ryan’s watering down of a proposed ban on the sale of turf still does not go far enough according to a Fianna Fáil TD.
The Green Party leader has now suggested that small rural communities of under 500 people will be exempt from a ban on the sale of turf, which is due to come into force in September.
…He is now due to meet a number of Fianna Fáil members today, including Barry Cowen, in a bid to ease tensions and hammer out an agreement.
Mr Cowen said the proposal to allow villages and areas with a population of less than 500 continue to burn turn sods is “senseless” as it won’t cater for relationships that exist between the commercial cutter and those families that need a supply that do not have their own resource.
“I could point to 10 or 11 villages and towns in Offaly, for example, that have a population of over 500 where there are pockets of them dependent on turf for their heating, for their water, for their cooking even, so they are a vulnerable cohort that just can’t be cut adrift.”
Meanwhile…
‘Pragmatic’ solution can be found on proposed turf ban, says Taoiseach https://t.co/1pyqRczV1w
— The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) April 26, 2022
Eamon Ryan says the Government has NOT paused plans to ban the sale of turf, merely that it will have worked on finer details before plans announced in September. People who own bogland will still be able to cut turf on their land; clampdown is on industrial sale and distribution pic.twitter.com/1LeuaUSl4f
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) April 14, 2022
This morning.
Earlier…
From top: Eamon Ryan and Paschal Donohoe
This morning.
Via BreakingNews:
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said that the Government will consider a detailed report about turf burning after Easter at which time a decision will be made about the proposed ban on the sale of turf.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, Mr Donohoe said that no proposal in relation to a pause on the ban, as reportedly advocated by the Tánaiste, had come to Government.
However, on Newstalk Breakfast Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said there would be no pause in plans to ban the sale of turf. The comment by Mr Varadkar had been made at a Fine Gael meeting, not at a public meeting, he added.
Mr Ryan said that the concerns that people would be criminalised needed to be addressed and the details of the regulations better communicated.
Anyone?
No proposal to pause turf ban has come to Government, says Donohoe (BreakingNews)
Meanwhile…
“It is the case, as we move through this year and maybe beyond this, that we won’t be able to insulate our people, our economy, entirely from the effect of the war in Ukraine and what that means in effect for the price of energy,” says Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe pic.twitter.com/F30QUX0uF9
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 14, 2022
Um.
This morning.
This morning.
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
The Minister for the Environment and Climate Action Eamon Ryan arrives for cabinet following his disclosure yesterday that turf-selling will be banned from September 1.
Mr Ryan said that families would still be allowed to cut peat from traditional plots for domestic use but selling the peat will be prohibited.
he told the dail:
“This approach will facilitate those with turbary rights to continue to cut and burn sod peat for their own domestic purposes, while also reducing the use of sod peat in urban areas,”
Yesterday: Turf-Exclusionary
Planned carbon tax hike will go ahead – despite soaring cost of living https://t.co/cpbkJ0QVqj
— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) April 4, 2022
This morning.
Earlier…
Minister for Transport and the Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communications, Eamon Ryan
This morning.
Via Irish Times:
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said on Sunday he would bring a package of measures to Government next week to help with the cost of living.
Sources indicated this would include a public awareness campaign advising steps such as cutting out one car journey a week in favour of walking or taking public transport, taking shorter showers, not filling a kettle to the top if not needed and turning down the thermostat by a degree.
The package will also include more targeted measures, which sources described as “regulator-led”, designed to help those with energy debts obtain manageable repayment schedules and to ensure vulnerable people were on the cheapest tariff possible.
Take shorter showers and drive less to cut costs, Ryan to suggest (Irish Times)
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan at Dublin Castle this morning.
Minister @EamonRyan gave the opening address this morning at the First National Climate Stakeholder Forum.
A key action in the #ClimateActionPlan, this is the first of three fora that will take place this year.#ClimateActionIRLhttps://t.co/KoJLVyVIDV pic.twitter.com/bohpDgfqkJ— Dept. Environment, Climate and Communications (@Dept_ECC) March 22, 2022
This morning.
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
Opening the first National Climate Stakeholder Forum, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, and Transport, Eamon Ryan, said:
“This National Forum is all about coming together, listening to different viewpoints and then working collectively to identify what we can do, and where challenges might exist, to deliver on our climate action ambitions. I am delighted to see representatives here from industry, civil society, trade unions, state bodies and agencies, and policy makers, as well as representatives from the National Youth Assembly on Climate.
“I look forward to hearing what will undoubtedly be lively discussions and, most importantly, listening to the innovative suggestions that are put forward to overcome any challenges that exist. This type of national dialogue is vital to ensuring that we are delivering on our transition to a lower-carbon future in a way that is inclusive, fair and effective.”
Minister Ryan opens first National Climate Stakeholder Forum (Gov.ie)
On Bord Gais Energy raising household energy prices, Eamon Ryan says the Government was “aware of that coming” pic.twitter.com/i01vjoZJRx
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) March 15, 2022
Um.
This afternoon.
Via RTE News:
Bord Gáis Energy is increasing its rates for both electricity and gas customers.
According to a statement from the company, the average electricity bill will go up by 27% and the average gas bill will go up by 39%.
The company is ending its ‘winter price pledge’ and the changes will take effect from 15 April.
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan
This morning.
Eamon Ryan has he is not convinced that waiving fares is a “silver bullet” environmental solution due to the level of funding public transport required.
Via The Times:
In response to a parliamentary question from Bríd Smith, the People-Before-Profit TD, who said that Covid-19 provided insight into the funding required in the absence of fare revenue.
An additional €370 million was needed to continue public transport operations in 2020 as Covid caused a collapse in revenue.
…He said schemes that introduced free public transport can also have “unintended consequences” including a significant reduction in walking and cycling.
Smith, a member of the Oireachtas committee on climate action, said free public transport was a “huge advantage” and “improves quality of life significantly”. She told The Times: “This idea that it is not beneficial because it will reduce active travel, I think it is just because the minister wants to put his funding towards cycle path and greenway
Free public travel not big enough carrot for commuters, says Eamon Ryan (The Times)
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said that people still need to be careful when it comes to wearing face masks. He said the advice is for people to keep wearing them on public transport, however it won’t be mandatory | https://t.co/DW877frDoh pic.twitter.com/9MEDtd1pqE
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 22, 2022
This morning.
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
Green Party Leader and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan arrives for a cabinet meeting on lifting all covid restrictions.
Earlier: “A Sense Of Nervousness”
