Timmy Dooley
Question:2. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the first meeting of the delivery board for the climate action plan 2019. [32877/19]
View answerTuesday, 23 July 2019
Questions (2)
Written answers
The Climate Action Plan, published on 17 June 2019, outlines significant new governance structures to ensure that climate policy is implemented including the establishment of a Climate Action Delivery Board within my Department.
Tackling climate action is the right thing to do, in terms of stabilising our climate, for all of us but particularly the young people here. But it is also beneficial in other ways - it is warmer homes, it is cleaner air, it is shorter commutes, less time in the car. It is also about creating new jobs, new wealth and new businesses for the future. So, even if there were no targets to reach, even if there were no fines that we might incur, this is good policy anyway. It is good economic policy, it is good social policy, it is good environment policy and we just need to make it happen.
The first meeting of the Delivery Board took place on 16 July 2019. The Board is jointly chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and the Secretary General of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The membership comprises of Secretaries General from Departments responsible for the actions outlined in the Plan, including Secretaries General from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Department of Transport Tourism & Sport; Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government; Department of Education and Skills; Department of Finance; Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Department of Rural and Community Development; Department of Culture, Heritage & the Gaeltacht and; Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. The Secretariat for the Board is provided by my Department.
At the first meeting, the Board discussed the importance of the delivery of actions outlined in the Plan and the deep level of collaboration required across Government to achieve this. The approach for measuring progress, closely following the model adopted for the Action Plan for Jobs, was also discussed as well as preparations for the first quarterly progress report on delivery of the Plan. The agenda also included discussions around the terms of reference for the Board; carbon budgets; the research base and communications strategy for the Climate Action Plan.