Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
175. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of climate action co-ordinators, community climate officers and climate action officers hired by each local authority to date, in tabular form [56160/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra176. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide a breakdown of the indicative costs associated with hiring a climate action co-ordinator, a community climate officer and a climate action officer, in tabular form. [56161/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra177. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on plans to strengthen climate action teams in local authorities; the gaps and challenges that exist to reaching their potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56162/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 to 177, inclusive, together.
Local government has a key role to play in implementing measures to meet Ireland’s national and EU climate targets. Local Authorities are well-placed to respond to climate change and build momentum as the most direct connection that citizens and local communities have with Government.
Section 16 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 requires, inter alia, each Local Authority to prepare a Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LA CAP) specifying the mitigation and the adaptation measures to be adopted. In March 2023, I published statutory guidelines to assist Local Authorities in preparing their LA CAPs.
My Department has recognised and responded to the need for additional capacity within Local Authorities to support the delivery of LA CAPs. My Department authorised funding in 2022 to support the Local Authority Climate Action Plan process, including for the recruitment of specialist staff in each Local Authority to form the nucleus of climate action teams – a Climate Action Coordinator and Climate Action Officer
In 2022, a total of €3.2 million was paid to the sector to begin the implementation of Phase 1 of the LA CAPs. By November 2023, 30 Local Authorities had hired a Climate Action Coordinator and 26 had hired a Climate Action Officer.
In addition, 12% of the €24 million allocated for each phase of strand 1 of the Community Climate Action Programme has been assigned for administrative purposes towards the cost of hiring one Community Climate Action Officer in each Local Authority. 30 Local Authorities have hired a Community Climate Action Officer to date. The attached table provides a breakdown across the Local Authorities of the current status of their recruitment.
A total of €5.5 million is being allocated to the sector in 2023 for phase 2 of the programme to develop the Local Authority Climate Action Plans and my Department is now in the process of reviewing and processing eligible claims.
Additionally, a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) with €12 million in funding has recently been agreed and signed for a period of 6 years (2023 – 2029) for the Climate Action Regional Offices to continue their work in supporting local government to coordinate and deliver climate action and to develop their local authority climate action plans.
My Department will also continue to support upskilling and capacity building in climate action in the local government sector by agreeing a new SLA to continue rolling out the Local Authority Climate Action Training Programme in 2024. This programme is increasing knowledge of climate change among Local Authorities and will assist staff with the implementation of their local authority climate action plans.
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