Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2022
83. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 118 of 2 June 2022, the details of any engagement he or his Department has had since May 2022 with Galway City Council and Galway County Council with regard to supporting and promoting efforts at local government level on climate action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45772/22]
View answer107. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 73 of 1 June 2022, the status of the promised statutory guidelines for Local Authority climate action plans, which will include the guidelines for the implementation of Local Authority decarbonising zones; the timeline for the publication of the statutory guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45771/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 107 together.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2021 was commenced on the 23 July 2021. Section 16 of the Act requires each Local Authority to prepare a climate action plan, specifying the mitigation and adaptation measures to be adopted by the Local Authority. Local Authorities will have 12 months to complete their individual plans once requested by the Minister, with the request to be made within 18 months of the coming into operation of the Act. Local Authority plans will have to be consistent with national climate plans and strategies, and will include both mitigation and adaptation measures to be updated every five years. Local Authorities will liaise with each other in the preparation of these plans and I have allocated €3.5 million for Local Authorities to assist in this work this year.
My Department is working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs), Local Authorities, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to finalise a set of statutory guidelines detailing the approach Local Authorities are to take in the development and implementation of Local Authority climate action plans. Decarbonisation zones are also being incorporated into the statutory guidelines for Local Authority plans. The guidelines will be issued to Local Authorities in the coming weeks.
While I have had no direct engagement with Galway City Council and Galway County Council with regard to supporting and promoting efforts at local government level on climate action, my Department continues to work with the four CAROs and stakeholders, including representatives from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, on a regular basis, in particular through participation in the National Local Authority Climate Action Steering Group which meets regularly. The CAROs continue to work with Local Authorities to both facilitate and monitor implementation of local climate actions undertaken under existing local adaptation strategies and the climate charter developed under the 2019 climate action plan.
My Department also continues to fund the implementation of the Local Authority Climate Action Training Programme. This programme is increasing knowledge of climate change and the need for action among all Local Authority staff, and will facilitate both climate mitigation and adaptation at local level.
