Speech by Darragh O'Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport.

Colleagues and delegates, it is an honour to join you here today at this special Ard Fheis.

As we celebrate 100 years of Fianna Fáil, we can take pride in the bold and ambitious projects delivered by Fianna Fáil-led governments - projects that transformed communities, strengthened our economy, and modernised our country. From rural electrification, which brought light and opportunity to homes and businesses across Ireland, to the Dublin Port Tunnel, the LUAS, and Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport as just a few examples, Fianna Fáil has always believed in building for the future.

And today, that legacy continues through major investment in renewable energy, interconnection projects, and large-scale wind generation as we work to secure Ireland’s energy future for the next generation. Likewise, some of the largest and most ambitious transport projects in the history of the State are now underway across the country.

As your Minister, I want to assure you this government is firmly focused on the future - investing in our cities, towns and villages, and driving forward a period of urgent delivery and renewal.

Recent global events and an energy shock have shown us that accelerating the delivery of renewable energy and expanding our grid infrastructure is now more critical than ever.

It is my firm ambition to increase and accelerate the deployment of new renewable generation capacity so that we can secure Ireland’s energy future, deliver long-term energy security, and crucially, to ensure price reductions and stability for Irish households and businesses.

But we have made significant progress in that acceleration. In recent months, renewables have met nearly half of our electricity demand and over 40% on average, with onshore wind providing much of that supply - ensuring that Ireland continues to generate more of its electricity from onshore wind than any other country in Europe.

The shift to renewables also presents a powerful opportunity for job creation. Across the country, we are seeing new roles emerge in wind, solar, storage, and grid development. Many of these in rural areas, supporting local economies and ensuring the benefits of the transition are shared widely. I have had the opportunity to visit Offaly and BnM a number of times over the last year, alongside Deputy Tony McCormack, and their transition from Brown to Green how been remarkable. Their ‘just transition’ has been one of the most significant industrial transformations in Ireland’s energy sector – from its reliance on peat harvesting and peat-fired electricity generation to now being a leader in renewable energy and climate solutions. Creating direct jobs of over 1,400 in the Midlands and indirectly many more construction jobs as they develop wind farms and grid infrastructure. They are proof that there is great opportunity in our transition to a cleaner energy future.

We are also investing significantly into our grid to support that transition to a cleaner, more secure system to accommodate growing renewable energy sources, Price review 6 sets out the €18.9 billion investment which will take place in our electricity grid over the coming 5 years representing the largest ever investment in our electricity grid. A stronger, expanded grid is essential to deliver the homes our people need, support growing communities and attract continued investment and job creation across the country. Housing developments, new industries and enterprise, such as data centres, all depend on reliable electricity capacity and modern infrastructure. It also enables us to connect more renewables to the system, which will reduce costs over time and strengthen our energy security.

Retrofitting plays a central role in reducing household costs while delivering warmer, and more energy efficient homes, helping families to reduce their bills. Earlier this year I announced a new suite of SEAI grant supports designed to bring energy upgrades to more homeowners and to make them more accessible and affordable.

Since 2019, we have provided over €1.7 billion in support to homeowners for almost 258,000 home energy upgrades, including nearly 32,700 fully funded retrofits for households at risk of energy poverty. This year alone, we aim to retrofit over 73,000 homes.

People are responding now that the schemes are more accessible and affordable. Since the introduction of enhanced grants, we have seen a significant increase in applications of almost 200%. These improvements are making a real difference in people’s lives, with energy upgrades helping to reduce household energy bills by up to €1,500 a year.

We are also seeing a rooftop revolution, with the rapid expansion of solar PV panels on homes, schools, and businesses across the country. Over 170,000 homes and buildings now have rooftop solar installed. It has become one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity generation, backed by Government grants. This represents a long-term solution that helps reduce reliance on traditional energy sources and supports households and businesses in managing rising energy costs.

Investing in our energy future is essential for building a more sustainable society. By supporting renewable technologies and improving energy efficiency today, we reduce emissions, protect natural resources, and create a more secure and affordable energy system for future generations.

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As I mentioned earlier, we have some of the largest and most ambitious transport projects in the history of the State now underway across the country. This record level of investment is helping to connect communities and supporting businesses and laying the foundations for a more competitive and accessible transport network.

We are the party in Government that is now finally delivering MetroLink, with €2 billion invested in the project for the first time. This transformative project will be a game changer for North County Dublin, the wider region, and the country, unlocking greater access to housing, jobs, and education, while also reducing congestion and emissions. It is happening. Groundworks are already underway in several areas, with major construction due to commence in August/September next year.

Last year alone we saw public transport journeys across the country exceed 360 million, and to keep pace with that growing demand we have an ambitious programme of delivery underway.

This includes major investments such the expansion of the DART+ programme to increase capacity and frequency on commuter rail lines Dart +West, Dart + South West along with improvements to Dart + Coastal North and South, BusConnects is rolling out in Dublin and progressing in Cork, Galway and Limerick. In Cork, we have the Cork Luas now progressing and major enhancements to Cork commuter rail services.

Removing the Dublin airport passenger cap was a key commitment in the Programme for Government for Fianna Fáil, I campaigned on it and as a government, we have now acted swiftly and decisively on that commitment. We are now in the final stages of bringing the relevant legislation to Government to empower me to remove the passenger cap. Lifting the cap and precluding any future cap is critically important for our country, in terms of connectivity and economic growth.

I also recognise the vital importance of regional connectivity in supporting balanced economic growth across the country. There is continued significant investment in our regional airports - Shannon, Donegal, Kerry and Ireland West - who play a key role in strengthening tourism, trade, and business links, ensuring that all parts of Ireland remain well connected to key domestic and international markets.

We have record investment of €1.5 billion in 2026 in our road network around the country – both new projects and renewal. We now finally have the green light for the Galway Ring Road, with planning approval from An Coimisiún Pleanála following decades of delays. The Adare Bypass is progressing to completion, the N5 Ballaghadrerren – Scramoge scheme is part of a major west of Ireland route upgrade, and I had the pleasure of opening the section to French Park alongside Deputy Martin Daly a few weeks ago. In Cork we have the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy project which unlocks key access to Cork Harbour.

Next Wednesday, I will be in Navan to mark another major milestone in delivery — the launch of the preferred route and the opening of public consultation on the Navan Rail Line.

This is a project that has been stalled for many years, as my colleagues in Meath will know only too well. Under this Fianna Fáil-led Government, we are moving the dial and moving this project decisively forward.

Luas Finglas is now cleared of any planning or legal barriers and ready to move into construction as quickly as possible, a 4km extension that will unlock the potential for up to 10,000 new homes along the route.

Fianna Fáil in this government are committed to unlocking potential and removing barriers to key projects all across the country. And I am confident that, in the lifetime of this Government, we will deliver a transformative impact on Ireland’s future - in how we live, how we travel, how we build homes, and how we grow our economy in a sustainable way. That means getting critical infrastructure moving faster: delivering transport corridors that unlock housing, strengthening our energy system to support growth, and ensuring that every region of this country feels the benefit of investment and opportunity.