Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
37. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the skills and supports required for businesses to meet decarbonisation targets; if the Government has plans to increase awareness and knowledge of decarbonisation amongst businesses and SMEs in particular; how SMEs have been supported to date to decarbonise; if there are plans to increase this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51248/23]
View answerThe Government has committed to cutting our emissions in half by 2030, and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This means removing almost all emissions from business. All businesses, large and small, need to start planning and upskilling now to compete and thrive in providing low or zero carbon products and services. That means thinking about switching to renewable electricity, reducing transportation emissions, and redesigning supply chains for circularity and sustainability. My Department is pro-actively engaging Irish businesses in the many opportunities for decarbonisation, and integrating climate action into all aspects of the Department and its agencies’ activities.
My Department, Enterprise Ireland, IDA and our Local Enterprise Offices and other state agencies such as SEAI, SkillNet Ireland and others have extensive programmes to engage businesses in upskilling and investing on this agenda. This year, I and my Department have also run eight ‘Building Better Business’ events throughout the country to promote engagement with the climate action and digitalisation agendas, a final event is to take place in Dublin in early December.
Businesses are being supported through the Green Transition Fund, SEAI energy programmes, SkillNet Ireland Training, the LEO Green for Business programme, and a range of other advisory, training and grant aid offerings. We are constantly looking for ways to better equip businesses for this transition, and to increase the uptake of available supports - for example, we amended SEAI's Solar PV grants for businesses this summer to make them more accessible and attractive.
To help businesses, and SMEs in particular, understand where their emissions arise and plan to reduce them, the Government launched the Climate Toolkit 4 Business [www.climatetoolkit4business.gov.ie] in December 2021. This free online tool was jointly developed by my Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. It contains a simple carbon calculator and action plan generator that will point businesses to the training and Government supports relevant to their business needs. It is particularly useful for businesses that have not yet made a plan to tackle their emissions, and could use advice on the steps they should take.
By entering readily-available information into the calculator in the 4 thematic areas of energy, travel, materials use and water, SMEs will receive an estimate of their carbon footprint and a tailored action plan to reduce it. Relevant actions will link to available supports from a range of state agencies that will help achieve each action. These include:
• Training supports from SEAI's energy academy,
• Skillnet's Climate Ready Academy Sustainability Pass and Energy Leaders Programme,
• Green for Business and Energy Efficiency Grants,
• Green transition funding: Climate Planning Fund for Business and Enterprise Emissions Reduction Fund,
• SEAI supports including support scheme for energy audits, support scheme for renewable heat, non-domestic microgeneration grant and others.
• Advice and guidance from EPA, Circuléire and others on moving to more circular business models.
To date, almost 10,000 businesses have completed the carbon calculator and generated their tailored climate action plan. My Department and its enterprise agencies continue to promote the Climate Toolkit 4 Business as the first point of contact for SMEs wishing to learn more about their emissions and start their decarbonisation journeys.
