Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Since my Department is the lead Department in respect of a number of proposed measures in the national mitigation plan, I welcome the opportunity to update the House on how we are doing in that regard. I had a chance yesterday to discuss this matter in the Seanad.

The measures that my Department has responsibility for predominantly relate to the national planning framework, NPF, and the built environment, as well as the overall area of social housing. These measures include actions Nos. 10 and 65 and measure T11 of the NPF. Under this, we must ensure that climate considerations are fully addressed in the new framework. The publication of the NPF consultation draft towards the end of September represented a unique opportunity to set out an ambitious vision and 20-year strategy for what our country should and can look like in 2040. The NPF covers a broad range of issues relating to planning for Ireland's future over the period to 2040. They include national policy objectives to support climate action and planning, sustainable land management and resource efficiency and renewable energy generation.

Action No. 20 is on wind energy guidelines, which we are committed to finalising. The 2006 wind energy development guidelines, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, set the national planning policy context for local authority plan-making regarding wind energy and the determination of planning applications and appeals by planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála. A Programme for a Partnership Government of May 2016 contained a commitment to conclude the review of the guidelines with a view to offering a better balance between the concerns of local communities and the need to invest in indigenous energy projects. In this regard, a "preferred draft approach" to the review of the guidelines has been developed to address a number of key aspects, including sound or noise, visual amenity setback distances, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. This draft approach was announced in June 2017 by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, and the previous Minister in my Department, the current Tánaiste.

Built environment measure No. 7, or BE 7, relates to social housing upgrades. Local authorities are undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting, with the support of the Department, on the least energy efficient social homes. Funding of €107 million was provided from 2013 to the end of 2016 in order to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in some 58,000 local authority houses, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a significant contribution to Ireland's carbon emissions reduction targets and energy reduction targets for 2020.

Measures BE 10.1 to 10.4, inclusive, relate to the introduction of building regulations transposing the requirements of the energy performance of buildings directive in respect of nearly zero energy buildings, NZEBs, and major renovations. The 2010 energy performance of buildings directive requires member states to ensure that, from 31 December 2020, all new buildings meet NZEB standards and major renovations are brought to a cost-optimal standard. In parallel, new buildings owned and occupied by public authorities will be required to achieve this standard two years earlier, that is, by December 2018.

In Ireland, more than 40% of the total energy produced is used in the building sector. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, report Energy in Ireland 1990-2015 shows that there has been an increase in energy demand of 18% in the residential building sector and 29% in the commercial building sector. This is why increasing the energy efficiency and reducing the energy demand of buildings is so vital.

These advanced performance requirements are being implemented through Part L of the building regulations. In terms of dwellings, my Department is working on an amendment to Part L and the corresponding technical guidance document. That will be out for consultation in early 2018. Regarding buildings other than dwellings, the statutory instrument amending Part L was signed into law last month. In general, this amended regulation will apply to all building works, material alterations, material changes of use and major renovations that commence after 1 January 2019.

All of the measures that I have outlined are key actions in the built environment's contribution to Ireland's national low-carbon transition and mitigation plan for addressing climate change. I am confident that we are making steady progress in all areas and that the measures outlined will be implemented to achieve the projected emissions reductions.

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