Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will build on Senator McGahon's contribution and what I said earlier. If we go back and analyse from a carbon displacement point of view the benefit of the renovation of derelict and vacant sites across the country, that could be instructive as we go forward. If that work is being done, it might be useful for us to see the progress. We can infer from the results that it will inform policy as we go on. I encourage the Ministers to think about that.

The URDF is having an incredibly positive impact on urban areas across the country and has had since its inception. There is an opportunity to leverage it now. I will come back to carbon mitigation. We should make it a requirement of URDF funding that a carbon benefit be shown in the application process, which in most cases there will be. If we can show that, we can maybe find these kilotonnes of carbon mitigation we need to reach by 2030. There might be an important piece of work there. It could perhaps be part of the criteria for the next round of URDF, that it aligns with our climate targets.

There is a question which is perhaps more for the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien. The Ministers of State, Deputies O'Donnell and Noonan, might speak with him about the alignment of the county development plans with the climate action plan. It builds on Senator O'Reilly's earlier contribution. The question is around how we are showing that alignment. The local authorities are going in the right direction in good faith. How are they showing they are strictly aligned with our carbon production targets? It is a fundamentally important question and I am not sure there is an easy answer. It is a difficult piece of work. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell might wish to comment on that now.