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Departmental Policies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2021

Thursday, 17 June 2021

Questions (188)

Christopher O'Sullivan

Question:

188. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will outline his key policy achievements in his Department since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32716/21]

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.  My Department published its Statement of Strategy for the period 2021-2023 in March of this year which sets out our strategic goals in line with the Programme for Government and our long-term vision of a climate neutral, sustainable and digitally connected Ireland. Since the second half of 2020, my Department has 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 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas as priority legislation. This landmark bill will set Ireland on the path to net-zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade.

- Progressing the Climate Action Plan to reflect the much higher PfG emissions reduction ambition. The updated Climate Action Plan will be published shortly.

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

- The publication of the second progress report of the Just Transition Commissioner and the approval of the first tranches of funding from the Just Transition Fund.

- Regulations were finalised to extend the Smoky Coal ban to an additional 13 towns ban. In addition, a public consultation sought views on the further regulation of solid fuel use for domestic home heating earlier this year.

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

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

- 82 new renewable energy projects received funding under the first Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction. The RESS scheme will support an investment in Ireland of over €1.4 billion and support the recovery by creating roughly 1,000 jobs.

- Published the framework for Ireland’s Offshore Electricity Transmission System which will facilitate the expansion of offshore wind energy to help the country meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets.

- The Government approved the Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas including a moratorium on the development of LNG import terminals pending the completion of review of security of supply.

- Public consultations on the Community Benefit Fund for the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, the Microgeneration Support Scheme and the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme have recently closed and the responses will inform the design of these initiatives.

- Government approval was received to introduce legislation to ban licences for new oil and natural gas exploration. The legislation will be included in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021.

- The establishment of a Circular Economy Unit within my Department.

- The publication of a Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy.

- Two public consultations were held on the introduction of a Deposit and Return Scheme, the most recent on the preferred model and legislative framework for the delivery of the scheme.

- Continuing the rollout the National Broadband Plan Ireland to deliver NBP - design work is complete or ongoing in target townlands across every county with nearly 223,000 premises surveyed and 322 Broadband Connection Point sites have been installed as of start June this year.

My Department will continue to progress our priorities and Programme for Government commitments in 2021.  The Department's Annual Report for 2021 will be published shortly.

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