Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 July 2016
65. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the climate change adaptation plan for transport will be published, given that his Department's Statement of Strategy 2015-2017 stated it would be published in March 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21985/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act creates a statutory obligation on a number of sectors, including transport, to develop sectoral climate change adaptation plans.
My Department, in consultation with key transport agencies and service providers, has been making good progress on developing the Adaptation Plan for Transport. The Plan will seek to assess our knowledge base as well as our vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity to climate change. It will also look to provide a list of adaptation options over the short, medium and long term for the transport sector in Ireland. In order to advance this work, a stakeholder team has been established by my Department.
Officials from my Department are also engaging with other sectors responsible for preparing adaptation plans and local authorities through representation on a Steering Group chaired by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. This collaboration seeks to secure shared learning and a cohesive approach to a multi-layered adaptive strategy for Ireland.
In terms of a timeline for publication of the Transport Adaptation Plan, my Department is working closely with the Environmental Protection Agency with the aim of bringing a draft to public consultation in the last quarter of 2016 with a view to publication early in 2017.
