Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on environment and climate change oversees the implementation of the ambitious programme for Government commitments on the environment and climate change. The committee has met four times in 2023 and its next meeting will take place on 27 November. The climate action unit within the Department of the Taoiseach seeks to co-ordinate and drive climate action across all Departments by assisting the work of the Cabinet committee and associated senior official groups.

The unit also provides secretariat support to the climate action delivery board, which is composed of the Secretaries General of those Departments that have core responsibilities in ensuring the Government's climate objectives are met. The board oversees the delivery of the climate action plan and acts as a forum for identifying solutions to any challenges or obstacles impeding delivery. It last met in October and is due to meet again in the coming weeks.

The climate action unit also monitors implementation of actions agreed as part of the climate action plan. Each quarter, it reports to the Government on progress under the climate action plan and these reports are published on the Department's website. The unit chairs several interdepartmental groups in the areas of climate research and modelling, climate communications and EU climate policy developments. It also assists the climate action units that have been established in each Department.

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