Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to deliver the annual transition statement on climate change adaptation on behalf of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Minister, Deputy Madigan. Maidir Ie hoiriúnú d'athrú aeráide sa Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, tá dhá phlean oiriúnaithe earnála á n-ullmhú ag mo Roinn - ceann amháin a théann i ngleic Ie bithéagsulacht agus ceann eile a bhaineann leis an oidhreacht thógtha agus seandálaíochta.

A draft climate change adaptation plan for biodiversity has been drawn up by scientific staff in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, of my Department. It has been circulated to staff within the NPWS, external biodiversity and climate change experts, members of the interdepartmental biodiversity working group and the biodiversity forum which is represented by NGOs, academics other relevant stakeholders. The draft plan also formed the basis of a stakeholder workshop which was held on 16 October. There were 40 participants which represented various sectors and included staff from the regional climate change offices and the NPWS. The workshop sought feedback and inputs on various matters, including climate impacts and consequences for the biodiversity sector, adaptation actions and cross-sectoral linkages. The draft plan is being redrafted and reformatted to reflect the sectoral guidelines published in May and the feedback and inputs received from other sectors and actors. We will endeavour to ensure the revised draft biodiversity sectoral climate change adaptation plan will be subject to public consultation in January 2019.

The following climate change risks to biodiversity have been identified to date. I refer to changes in species abundance, changes in species distribution, disruption of species interactions, loss of species, the arrival and spread of non-native species, changes in the composition of communities, the loss of habitat area and changes in the functionality of habitats. As well as the direct impact on biodiversity, there may be consequences for the delivery of ecosystem services required for human well-being. As an example, changes in the functionality of habitats may reduce the capacity for water retention or the control of non-native species may be very costly to the Exchequer.

I dtaobh na hoidhreachta tógtha agus seandálaíochta, ceapadh saineolaithe i nDeireadh Fómhair chun cabhrú le plean oiriúnaithe earnála a ullmhú. Cuirfidh sé seo le staidéar taighde cúlra a choimisiúnaigh mo Roinn agus a críochnaíodh in 2017. Stakeholder advisory meetings were held in February and October, with the discussion feeding into the preparation of a tender for the delivery of a climate change sectoral adaptation plan for the built and archaeological heritage. Stakeholders included representatives from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Office of Public Works, the City and County Managers Association, the National Museum of Ireland, the Heritage Council, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, the Irish Landscape Institute, the Royal Irish Academy, the Discovery Programme, the International Council On Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS, Ireland and the Federation of Local History Societies.

Leantar le teagmháil idir contrapháirteanna sa Ríocht Aontaithe, Albain, Sasana agus Tuaisceart Éireann, agus le contrapháirteanna nios faide i gcéin atá ag oibriú ar oiriúnú láithreáin oidhreachta d’athrú aeráide d’fhonn faisnéis agus smaointe a mhalartú agus eolas a chur ar fáil don phlean oiriúnaithe earnála. Discussions with the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, ensured built and archaeological heritage impacts were built into the climate pillar call to achieve resilience in the marine and coastal environment. The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht made a presentation to the national adaptation steering committee on 4 July on the potential impact of climate change on the built and archaeological heritage. The following climate change risks to the built and archaeological heritage have been identified to date arising from the potential to have warmer, wetter winters - increased intensity of storms, a rise in sea levels, coastal erosion and increased flooding. They include structural damage to monuments and historical properties, coastal erosion undermining structures or leading to loss of ground adjacent to the structure, exposure and the erosion of archaeological sites, the collapse of unstable masonry elements such as chimneys and roofs, the loss of historical landscape features such as trees and the impact on building fabrics, including increased saturation, mould and fungal growth in interiors and on contents and increased corrosion of metal elements.

Tá sé beartaithe plean a bheith curtha le chéile faoi shamhradh 2019, le tréimhse chomhairliúcháin phoibil san áireamh. Cuireann mo Roinn fáilte roimh an gcaidreamh leanúnach an-dlúth oibre leis an Roinn Cumarsáide, Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide agus Comhshaoil maidir leis an dá phlean a fhorbairt faoi fhómhar 2019.

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