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Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 January 2021

Thursday, 14 January 2021

Questions (17)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

17. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the main policy initiatives undertaken by his Department since 27 June 2020; and his main priorities for 2021. [2083/21]

View answer

Written answers

The Programme for Government (PfG) sets out how the Government will respond and manage the challenge of decarbonising our economy and creating a sustainable future for all. It commits to a 7% emission reduction per annum from 2021 to 2030 and net-zero emission by 2050. It also commits to balanced regional development underpinned by a digitally connected society and transitioning to a circular economy. Delivering on this ambition requires scaled-up and new activities for my Department with a significant number of Programme for Government commitments assigned to the Department over the lifetime of the Programme. In the second half of 2020, my Department continued to progress the development and implementation of a wide range of policies and programmes across the breadth of its remit. Some of the main deliverables achieved in that timeframe include:

- The finalisation of the text of Climate Action (Amendment) Bill 2020 and its submission to the Oireachtas for pre-legislative scrutiny.

- The establishment of the Climate Action Fund on a statutory basis, through the early enactment of the National Oil Reserves Agency Bill.

- The designation of SEAI as the National Retrofitting Delivery Body.

- The establishment of a Circular Economy Unit within my Department and the publication of a Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.

- The publication of the second progress report of the Just Transition Commissioner, the allocation of €108m to an Enhanced Peatlands Rehabilitation Scheme in the Midlands and the approval of the first tranches of funding from the Just Transition Fund.

- Securing €221.5m for residential and community retrofit programmes in 2021, the highest allocation ever to these programmes.

- Commencing work on updating the Climate Action Plan to reflect the much higher PfG emissions reduction ambition.

- Finalised regulations for additional 13 towns under the smoky coal ban.

- Completed the first Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction.

- Continued to progress the review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems focusing on the period to 2030 in the context of ensuring a sustainable pathway to 2050.

- Implemented revised oil and gas policy to give effect to phasing out of oil and gas exploration in accordance with the Programme for Government.

- Continued the rollout the National Broadband Plan.

My Department will continue to progress our Programme for Government commitments in 2021. The overall level of ambition for the Department will be set out in its Statement of Strategy which will be published shortly.

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