Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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36. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the work that is being undertaken to ensure that the planning system supports the overall efforts for decarbonisation of society in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23099/21]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister of State ensure that the planning system supports the overall efforts for the decarbonisation of society? I welcome the decarbonising zones that have been identified, with one per county. Where the planning system is not working, however, is that a town such as Drogheda, one of the five national growth centres, has not been selected in addition to Dundalk. I welcome Dundalk's selection but it is not a national growth centre. Will the Minister of State examine the rules and regulations to ensure that national growth centres such as Drogheda will automatically be designated as decarbonising zones?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The climate action plan 2019 reaffirmed the important role of planning and the national planning framework in supporting national decarbonisation objectives. A top priority of the national planning framework is compact growth and its inter-relationship with sustainable mobility and transport. Compact growth is also a strategic response to counteract urban sprawl, which results in a high carbon footprint due to demands on transport and energy, mostly based on fossil fuels. Along with minimising transport demand, higher densities and shorter travel distances will reduce energy demand and use. Multi-storey and terraced buildings in close proximity require less energy and make renewables-based systems of energy distribution such as district heating more feasible. City and county development plans must promote sustainable settlement and transport strategies, including measures to reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, and address the necessity of adaptation to climate change.

The Department promotes decarbonisation through a wide range of measures including statutory planning guidelines such as the updated wind energy development guidelines; the development of the national marine planning framework and an associated marine consenting regime to enable the development of offshore renewable energy; working with local authorities to develop decarbonisation zones; and legislation to promote the use of solar panels and increased numbers of charging points for electric vehicles. I am confident in all the work the Department is doing to support the Government's efforts to put Ireland on a pathway to decarbonisation. It is clear we have a shared vision, from the climate action plan and the national planning framework to the county development plans, regional strategies and local area plans, to try to realise the targets contained within the climate action plan. It is important for a sustainable future that we do that and work together and that there be connectivity between the Government plans.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I ask the Minister of State to answer the question I asked about decarbonisation zones. I welcome his analysis and all the work that has been done. He referred to the national planning framework. Drogheda is designated in the framework as a national growth centre but because the selection of decarbonisation zones is limited to one per county, the largest town in Ireland, the next to become a city, cannot take advantage of the access to new ideas and investments that will come through the Department, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and other organisations. Will the Minister of State examine the regulations in order that in an exceptional case, a town that is a national growth centre could benefit in full as the other town, Dundalk, rightly and properly does from transport, active travel, civic buildings analysis, green spaces, biodiverse land use, air quality, waste management and all the other issues?

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The initial question referred to the overall strategy for the decarbonisation of society. Action 165 of the climate action plan specifically requires the identification of one location or area in a local authority that will be subject to a plan for a decarbonisation zone. Thereafter, follow-up steps could include harnessing the potential to develop a low-carbon town project for future calls under the climate action fund. The early progression of decarbonisation projects harnesses a range of technologies and incentives that will be subject to a mid-project review by the local authority. Each local authority has been requested to identify before 30 April 2021 a potential area suitable for selection as a decarbonisation zone. Each application should be accompanied by a broad outline of the main projects that could be implemented in the zone and an indication of the potential outcomes deliverable in terms of the reductions in carbon emissions, while recognising that the precise details should be included in each local authority's climate plan. At a minimum, these outcomes must be capable of meeting the Government's targets for carbon emission reductions as set out. Specifically, they must meet a 7% reduction overall in greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I accept that Drogheda was not mentioned in the initial question, but I mentioned it in the question I have since asked the Minister of State. I ask him now, simply and respectfully, to examine the issue. One would expect that when a town has been identified as a major national growth centre, it would be included as a designated decarbonisation zone in order that it can take full and proper advantage of all the changes coming.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I accept the question from the floor. It is difficult to comment, given that I do not have in front of me the detail on a particular town and I am talking about the broader policy. I will engage with the Department and revert to the Deputy on the matter. As I stated, each local authority was mandated to put forward one area for selection as a decarbonisation zone. We can discuss Drogheda into the future and see what we can derive from that. It is important that these plans be well connected, although I appreciate there are geographical constraints that people are concerned about. Drogheda, which the Deputy quite rightly fights for daily, is a huge growth centre with significant capacity to attract inward investment. We will do everything to facilitate that and will discuss it again with the Deputy.