Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this topic. The programme for Government sets out our ambition to more than halve our carbon emissions over the course of the decade.

The action we take in the coming years will be critical in order to address the climate crisis which renders our current economic model redundant and threatens our safe future on this planet. In order to deliver on our expanded and deepened climate ambition, additional far-reaching policy changes will be developed across every sector. The development of the next iteration of the climate action plan has commenced and cross-cutting measures such as those related to citizens' engagement will be important to involve the wider community in the formulation and implementation of the plan.

While there is no commitment in the programme for Government for a greenest town competition, the programme does commit to support a new green flag programme for communities building on the successful programme in schools. To achieve this we need to bring communities with us as new energy infrastructure gets installed. The climate action plan includes a number of relevant actions on renewable connection policy, community elements in the renewable electricity support scheme, RESS, and microgeneration to promote community involvement in renewable energy. It provides for training and support for initiatives where community and voluntary stakeholders to support community, local and national low-carbon development, incorporating community outreach elements.

Accordingly, the Government will prioritise the development of microgeneration, letting people sell excess power back to the grid by June 2021. We will ensure community energy can play a role in reaching at least 70% renewable electricity, which included a community benefit fund and a community category within the first RESS auction last summer. We will continue to work with the EU to agree community participation as an integral part of installing new renewable energy and a route for community participation in the projects. We will conclude the review of the current planning exemptions relating to solar panels to ensure that households, schools and communities can be strong champions of climate action.

The Government is also progressing a number of related initiatives, including the transposition of the renewable energy directive by June 2020, continued funding for the SEAI's solar PV programme, the roll out of the smart meter programme by 2024, implementation of the support framework for microgeneration targeted for June 2021 and revision of the exemptions under planning regulations in relation to solar installations. In addition, a review by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, of network charges in Ireland is planned in 2020. The CRU also proposes to implement a new connection policy for micro and small generators above 11 kW hours and below 50 kW hours by June 2021.

The RESS includes a ring-fenced community preference category within the auction that will support community projects and future renewable auctions will seek to increase the community preference category volume as a larger pipeline of shovel-ready community projects develops. Seven community projects qualified for the community category in the first auction which shows the way for more community projects to follow in subsequent auctions. The RESS auctions also include a mandatory community benefit fund requirement for all projects, the proceeds of which can be used by communities to progress sustainable community projects.

The programme for Government also commits to the development of a new model of engagement with citizens, sectors and regions as an early priority for Government, building on the learning of recent years. The new model will embrace dialogue on a structured basis so that diverse elements of society can contribute to the process. There will be a specific youth dialogue strand and we will also promote citizen, sectoral and regional involvement in delivering actions within their own sphere of influence.

Since 2017 Departments, the EPA and local authorities have engaged with various elements of Irish society to engage citizens on the need for climate action and a number of regional town hall meetings have been held. A number of other initiatives across Government, including my Department, are in progress which are raising awareness and calling citizens to action. These include the nationwide green schools national climate action and awareness programme, engagement with the arts community, the youth climate justice fund and local authority initiatives. My Department has recently commenced a series of meetings with other key Departments to plan for a widespread public consultation process on a 2021 climate action plan. It is anticipated that this public consultation will take place early next year and input will be sought from citizens, businesses and academics. The 2021 climate action plan will be informed by this consultation and the plan's overall structure and focus will remain flexible to adapt and evolve over time as Ireland strives to first achieve and then maintain its long term climate objectives.

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