Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 February 2022
116. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the proposed decarbonisation zone in Westside, Galway city; the engagement he or his Department has had with Galway City Council with regard to their proposal; when a decision will be made in respect of the proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8760/22]
View answerMy Department issued a circular in February 2021 asking each local authority to identify a decarbonising zone and to provide a broad outline of the main projects that could be implemented in the decarbonising zone plus an indication as to the potential outcomes deliverable in terms of reductions in carbon emissions.
Galway City Council identified the Westside area of the city as its proposed decarbonising zone.
The development of decarbonising zone plans are subject to the publication of statutory guidance under Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 under the remit of the Minister of Environment, Climate and Communications.
That Department will oversee the further development of decarbonising zones by the local authority who will be tasked with developing implementation plans for the decarbonising zones as part of their individual Local Authority Climate Action Plans. It is intended that guidelines for the implementation of decarbonising zones will be incorporated into statutory guidelines on the development of Local Authority Climate Action Plans by end of Q2 2022.
