Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
75. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his Department’s role in the monitoring of the implementation of the Local Authority Climate Action Plans; the details of any engagement he or his Department has had to-date with Galway City or County Councils with regard to their LA CAPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21573/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal Authorities have a statutory requirement to prepare Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs) under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.
In March 2023, I published statutory guidelines to assist Local Authorities in preparing their plans. These guidelines include a requirement to ensure ongoing monitoring and progress reporting. Each Local Authority must provide for reporting arrangements which demonstrate accountability for the delivery of climate action at various levels, including:
• Reporting within the Local Authority to elected members, strategic policy committees, or other fora;
• Reporting at a sectoral level to aggregate towards the performance of the local government sector on climate action;
• Reporting at national level, as part of the delivery of the national climate objective, to the existing reporting structures for the national climate action plan, and additional reporting on progress in drafting the LA CAPs and on implementation.
My Department introduced action LG/24/3 to the draft 2024 Climate Action Plan to “Develop a monitoring and reporting system for the Local Authority Climate Action Plans” to fulfil our national reporting obligations in this regard. My Department is currently developing this, with the support of the Climate Action Regional Offices and the local government sector.
Further to my response to Parliamentary Question 99 of 7 March 2024, I understand that my Department has not had any engagement with Galway City or Galway County Councils in relation to their LA CAPs to date.
