Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Update on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate: Discussion

11:00 am

Mr. Declan Meally:

Since 2020, we saw a dip, obviously, during Covid in the energy piece but it came back up again. What we are seeing is that we are holding steady and there is some reduction. Benefits are being gained because of electricity becoming more renewable. The public sector has benefited from that but, particularly around heat and buildings, it is keeping steady. We show each public sector a glide path to 2030 and that they need to be progressing.

Again, progress will be lumpy. They will do a project and it may take a jump in a couple of years' time. However, it is giving an indication to them as to where they are on the glide path and that the public sector as a whole, particularly for the heat, is keeping steady. The emissions are coming down but not at the rate that needs to happen. We work with every public sector organisation, which wants to work with us. We provide advice and assistance. As it is qualitative and quantitative information in that report, they can see where they are. The big energy users in the public sector are schools and hospitals. We are leading with those. The HSE and the Department of Education have their own decarbonisation plan. They can see how they can get to the targets. The challenge is often for the smaller energy users. Again, it is about trying to impact on it. It is working right across the public sector. We provide assistance to those who want it. Generally, Mr. Ryan's team is working right across the public sector and we are providing guidance in there.

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