Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
127. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount of funding allocated to local authorities to mitigate climactic weather events and future funds to support local authority adaptation projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3204/24]
View answerLocal Authorities play a key role in climate mitigation and adaptation, as set out in section 16 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. This requires, inter alia, each Local Authority to prepare a Climate Action Plan (LA CAP) specifying the mitigation and adaptation measures to be adopted. A request to each Local Authority to begin preparation of their plans was made in February 2023, and I issued statutory guidelines to support Local Authorities in this work in March 2023. The LA CAPs are due to be adopted in Q1 2024. I also authorised funding for the recruitment of specialist staff in each Local Authority to form climate action teams to assist with the development and oversight of the LA CAPs – a Climate Action Coordinator and Climate Action Officer.
A total of €3.5 million was allocated to the sector for Phase 1 of the LA CAP programme in 2022, and a further €5.5 million was allocated for Phase 2 of the LA CAP programme in 2023. Funding also has been agreed for 6 years (2023–2029) for the Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs) to continue their work in supporting local government in climate action across mitigation and adaptation, and to assist Local Authorities in developing their LA CAPs. In addition to the funding provided by my Department, Local Authorities would be in receipt of additional funding for climate-related measure from other Government Departments and Agencies, including the OPW.
