Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I was indicating to Deputy Dooley, I am currently preparing an all-of-government climate plan that will set out the actions that must be taken to make Ireland a leader in responding to climate change. I am working with colleagues across Government to develop new initiatives in electricity, transport, heat and agriculture, in addition to a range of other sectors. The new plan will have a strong focus on implementation, including actions with specific timelines and steps needed to achieve each action, assigning clear lines of responsibility. The plan will build on the policy framework, measures and actions set out in both the national mitigation plan and the national development plan.

Section 4 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 requires me to make a national mitigation plan and submit it to the Government for approval at least once every five years. Under section 3 of the Act, when considering approving a national mitigation plan, the Government must endeavour to achieve the 2050 national transition objective through the implementation of cost-effective measures that have regard to a range of factors, including Government policy on climate change. The national mitigation plan remains in place as a statutory plan required under the 2015 Act, and I propose to update this plan in due course in line with the schedule required by that Act. I also intend that the statutory requirements, in relation to reporting on the implementation of national climate policy to the Oireachtas through the annual transition statement, will include reporting on the implementation of the all-of-government climate plan.

Under European legislation, Ireland was obliged to submit a draft national energy and climate plan before the end of 2018 and a finalised one at the end of this year. The all-of-government plan will provide the basis for amending the draft plan to have a finalised one by the end of this year. There are two legal frameworks we have to work within.

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