Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies for providing me with this opportunity to update them on the plans of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, in regard to a just transition. Ireland is committed to achieving a just transition while ensuring nobody is left behind as we move to a climate-neutral economy and society.

The climate action plan 2021 places a just transition at its core. The plan sets out four principles that will guide policymaking and implementation over the coming years to ensure we can effectively monitor and manage our transition and that our responses remain flexible in order to respond to future transition challenges and target the areas in need of support. The first of the four just transition principles is that we pursue an integrated, structured and evidence-based approach to identifying and planning our response to just climate transition requirements. The second principle is that people are equipped with the right skills to be able to participate in, and benefit from, the future net-zero economy. Third, costs will be shared in order that the impact is equitable and existing inequalities are not exacerbated. The fourth principle is that we place social dialogue at the heart of our climate policy to ensure impacted citizens and communities are empowered and are core to the transition process.

The climate action plan sets out that each Minister should approach the development and implementation of climate policies within his or her sector in line with these principles. We will also be accountable in regard to how we proceed. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 gave the Oireachtas the power to scrutinise our progress and it is right that this scrutiny should extend to how we are implementing our just transition principles. A shared understanding between Government and affected parties in this transition will be necessary to plan policy accordingly. In light of this, the Government has also implemented a refreshed national dialogue on climate action, NDCA, that will have just transition at its core. The NDCA will be the key mechanism for facilitating the social dialogue process as part of the transition. This will consist of awareness-raising, communications and activation. It will ensure community engagement and participation takes place at sectoral, local, regional and national levels.

The Government has also committed to establishing a statutory just transition commission.

It is envisaged that the commission will support Government policy development in this area with specific objectives relating to: first, monitoring progress on the implementation of the just transition framework and preparing reports and recommendations to the Government and the Oireachtas; second, commissioning research and identifying research needed in respect of a just transition to facilitate evidence-based decision-making across Government regarding a just transition; and third, providing advice and support to the Minister and the Government on stakeholder participation and dialogue in a manner that effectively integrates just transition considerations.

Taking each of these in turn, it is essential that the Government has access to high-quality independent advice on the steps it should take to deliver a just transition, in line with the framework set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021. This advice should be evidence-based and it should be grounded in the day-to-day reality faced by individuals and communities. It is also important that the commission provides the Oireachtas with a trusted source of information and advice to assist it in its role in holding Ministers to account. Building on this, the commission should be able to set the agenda for research into current and future needs and challenges relating to just transition. This anticipatory or foresight role is essential, given that the climate ambitions the Oireachtas has set for Ireland through the 2021 climate legislation extend to 2050. Stakeholder participation and dialogue have repeatedly been shown to be a key ingredient to promote a just transition. The work of the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, in this area has found that co-designing inclusive, focused and participatory engagement processes with those most impacted at an early stage is key to ensuring that a transition is just.

The national dialogue on climate action is the key mechanism the Government will deploy to facilitate the social dialogue process as part of the just transition. The proposed commission is likely to have an important role to play in advising the Government and public, private and third sector actors throughout our society on best practice in dialogue and engagement for a just transition. The Minister is currently developing the mandate for the commission and this will be brought forward to the Government for its consideration by the middle of this year, in line with the timeframe set out in the climate action plan. To support the delivery of this work, and building on the work that he has already undertaken as just transition commissioner in the midlands region, the Minister has asked Mr. Kieran Mulvey to support him in the development of the mandate for the new just transition commission through undertaking stakeholder engagement relating to the mandate of the proposed commission.

The midlands region is the first in Ireland to directly experience the negative impacts of the transition away from fossil fuels, with the end of peat extraction for power generation. The Government has dedicated significant funding to support workers, companies and communities affected by the closure of the peat-fired power stations and the ending of peat extraction by Bord na Móna. The just transition commissioner has made an important contribution to the Government's overall response in the midlands region, helping to facilitate dialogue and bringing forward concerns from affected communities, residents, workers and businesses. The commissioner has produced four progress reports. The recommendations they contain have been addressed by the Government through the midlands implementation plan, which is detailed in the Climate Action Plan 2021.

The national just transition fund, launched in 2020, is supporting projects across the wider midlands region that will have significant employment and enterprise potential and will support the transition of the region towards a low-carbon economy. The fund is supporting projects from a diversity of sources, including: from communities, local authorities and the private sector, in the areas of business development; education, training and upskilling; development of co-working and enterprise hubs; renewable energies and retrofitting; tourism, heritage and recreation; community development and capacity building; greenways and walking. Collectively, these projects will support the midlands in the transition to a low-carbon society not only by job creation but also by creating a more resilient, diverse and innovative region. The total value of the 55 projects that have been approved is €30 million, with €20.5 million of this being provided in grants through the just transition fund. It is estimated by the projects that this will lead to the creation of an estimated 154 direct jobs as well as 932 indirect jobs throughout the region.

In addition to the just transition fund, the Government has also committed to invest up to €108 million in the enhanced decommissioning, rehabilitation and restoration scheme, which will create over 300 jobs and will be delivered by Bord na Móna to rehabilitate 33,000 ha over 80 separate Bord na Móna bogs. In 2021, the first year of this project, 19 rehabilitation plans were approved, with works commenced on 18 bogs. Plans for the 2022 campaign on a further 21 bogs in the midlands region are well advanced. Furthermore, the Government continues to deliver the midlands retrofitting programme and the deeper energy efficiency retrofit programme, both of which continue to support the development of warmer, easier-to-heat and more comfortable homes, enhancing air quality and providing savings on energy bills.

Looking to the future, Ireland has been successful in securing €84.5 million from the new EU Just Transition Fund for investment in the longer-term transition of the midlands region over the coming decade. This EU funding will be complemented by Exchequer funding. The EU Just Transition Fund is specifically designed to address the adverse effects of the climate transition in carbon intensive regions across the European Union by supporting regions to work towards balanced socioeconomic transition to a low-carbon economy. The Department is preparing a territorial just transition plan to enable us to access the EU Just Transition Fund. This will set out the development needs of the territory to be supported and the types of activities to be supported under this new fund. The Department undertook a public consultation on the draft territorial plan earlier this year. A summary report of responses and written submissions received have been published on the Department’s website. These submissions are being reviewed to further develop and finalise the draft territorial just transition plan.

The draft territorial plan identifies four key development needs for the midlands region: modernising the business environment and creating employment; enhancing the skills profile; environmental sustainability and industrial heritage; enhancing the regional profile. In recognition of the specific regional focus of this new fund, the Minister has appointed the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, EMRA, as the managing authority for the fund in Ireland. Working closely with the Department, EMRA will have a central role in the development and implementation of the programme of expenditure under the just transition fund over the coming decade. Once approved by the Government, the plan, together with the associated EU Just Transition Fund programme, will be submitted to the European Commission for approval during the course of 2022. Expenditure under the programme will commence once approved by the European Commission.

The programme of Exchequer supports already committed to the midlands, together with the significant additional funding that will become available over the coming decade, aims to assist the region in its just transition in order to create a climate-resilient, economically prosperous and environmentally sustainable region. It aims to deliver capacity and to generate and share solutions and knowledge in support of Ireland’s overall ambition to move towards a climate-neutral economy. Furthermore, lessons from our experience in implementing a just transition in the midlands will be invaluable in shaping and informing the development of policy on the matter into the future as we continue on our journey to integrate just transition principles across all sectors and areas of society.

It is great to hear a baby in the Visitors Gallery. It is a reminder to all of us that we are discussing the climate change challenge and the just transition for the sake of young people, and that baby will be experiencing things long after we are gone. That is why we are here. I look forward to hearing the contributions of Deputies.

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