Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My question is very specific in relation to decarbonisation zones. This was action 165 under the climate action plan. A message went out all the local authorities to identify an area. I understand 29 out of 31 local authorities have responded, including Galway City Council. It did everything right. It submitted the application. It identified the west side as a decarbonization zone. Yet, almost a year later, the application sits in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with no approval having been given. I am told by the Department that it is awaiting guidelines from the Minister, so I am delighted that he is answering this question. When will the guidelines be published? Furthermore, I am really worried not just about this delay, but about the further delays that there might be, as they are dependent on the action plans which each local authority has to produce. That is sometime in the far, distant future.

See this speech in context