Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 specified that the Government of the day must periodically publish a national mitigation plan outlining Ireland's path to a low-carbon future. It is an important piece of cross-departmental planning, something that is clearly crucial if it we are serious about making a transition to a low-carbon economy and society. The national mitigation plan was supposed to be published 18 months ago, after the passage of the legislation, which meant that the plan should have been published by June 2017. In response to a parliamentary question I tabled, the Minister said the draft mitigation plan was circulated to the Government on 10 June. That is more than two weeks ago. Is climate change such a low priority for the Minister and the Government that two weeks later he has still not managed to publish the plan?

Thus far Ireland has been struggling to meet its 2020 targets. In March 2016 the EPA published projected emissions for 2020, which indicated that Ireland's emissions at that stage could be in the range of 6% to 11% below those of 2005 when we were supposed to reach 20% reductions. That will result in significant fines for this country from the European Union.

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