Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee for the opportunity to present the 2023 Estimates for programmes A, B and C at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The Estimates for programme D, the connectivity and communications programme, were considered by the Select Committee on Transport and Communications on 8 February 2023.

The total provision for the Department this year is €1.066 billion, comprising just under €194.2 million in current expenditure and €871.8 million in capital expenditure. This represents a 59% increase over last year's allocation when funding for the electricity credit and the once-off emergency generation capacity schemes are taken into consideration. However, excluding these two exceptional items, the 2023 provision represents a 23% increase over the original 2022 Estimate for the Department. This demonstrates the Government's commitment to transforming Ireland into a climate-neutral, circular and connected economy and society.

I will now outline some key priorities across the climate action and environment leadership, energy transformation, and circular economy programme areas. Programme A, which covers climate action and environment leadership, includes licensing and enforcement, monitoring, analysis and reporting on the environment, research and development, and implementation of climate action measures. This programme provides €43.8 million in operational and capital funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to deliver its range of functions to protect our environment. The allocation includes funding for 19 additional staff across a number of policy areas, including circular economy, climate change, licensing and energy security.

Some 17.2 million is allocated to environmental and climate research, including €12.1 million for EPA research activities, which is in line with its published research strategy. In addition, funding of €4 million is allocated to the climate action modelling group to continue its work in providing technical support for wider climate and environment policy development. Funding is also included for the land use review to provide an evidence base to determine the environmental, ecological and economic characteristics of land types across Ireland.

A sum of €26.5 million is allocated for contributions towards international climate commitments, which is a significant increase over last year and is another step towards Ireland's goal to more than double its annual funding for developing countries to tackle climate change to €225 million by 2025.

A sum of €9.6 million is provided for the Just Transition Fund to support the low-carbon transition in the midlands region through local-led projects. A further €2.8 million is allocated under the EU Just Transition Fund programme to the Department's Vote. In December 2022 the EU Commission approved Ireland's programme for the EU Just Transition Fund, which will see up to €169 million invested in the midlands region over the coming years both through my Department and others involved in the programme.

Nearly €11 million is being provided for climate initiatives, which include the climate action regional offices, national dialogue on climate action and a local authority climate action training programme. A sum of €2.9 million is allocated to the carbon fund for the purchase of carbon credits. This will be Ireland's final purchase of credits relating to our 2020 targets.

Programme B, concerning the energy transformation programme, provides support to the energy sector to achieve a high-renewable, low-carbon system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It aims to ensure continued secure and reliable energy supplies necessary to support our economy and society on the pathway to net-zero emissions.

A sum of €28 million is being provided to cover the operational costs of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. This includes funding for an additional 40 staff to enable it to deliver on its wide range of programmes.

A record €348 million in capital funding is allocated for residential and community energy upgrade schemes, including the solar PV scheme, and to support the delivery of the national retrofit plan. Of this amount, €291 million is from carbon tax receipts.

A sum of €82.7 million is provided for other energy-efficiency programmes, including supports for the business and public sectors. These measures, administered by the SEAI, are aimed at improving energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy and developing retrofit policies and measures.

A sum of €30.4 million is provided for energy research programmes, including applied energy research and demonstration programmes and projects.

A sum of €7.5 million is provided for measures to lay the groundwork for Ireland to achieve its goals of 80% renewable energy generation by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. This includes the establishment of a cross-departmental offshore wind delivery task force to drive delivery of offshore wind by public bodies and capture its wider and longer-term economic and business opportunities.

Programme C, concerning circular economy development, supports the transition to a circular economy, protecting and restoring our environment through sustainable resource use. A sum of €114.5 million is being allocated to the programme in 2023 to tackle environmental damage, manage waste, safeguard our natural resources and support the move to a circular economy. This includes €26 million for the remediation of environmentally degraded landfill sites. The programme also includes funding of €16.6 million to protect our environment through waste management initiatives and enforcement activities by local authorities.

A sum of €36.8 million is provided for the conservation, management and regulation of Ireland's inland fisheries resource. Some €4 million of this allocation is ring-fenced for the Loughs Agency, a North-South body.

A sum of €14.8 million is provided for Geological Survey of Ireland services for geoscience projects, research and activities, including improved groundwater and drinking-water supply, the supply of critical raw materials, tackling coastal vulnerability and geothermal energy development.

Appropriations-in-aid are income receipts of the Department other than from the Exchequer and total €10.6 million in 2023. Receipts are mainly comprised of mining income, amounting to €5 million; additional superannuation contributions payable by public servants on their pensionable pay, amounting to €3.3 million; and miscellaneous income, amounting to €1 million.

I am happy to take questions relating to the Revised Estimates for programmes A, B and C.