Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers. Lá speisialta a bhí ann dó inné. Gabhaim comhghairdeas leis as a bheith ina leas-cheannaire Fhianna Fáil. We wish him well on his new appointment and he is here to take Commencement Matter number 2 in the name of Senator Sharon Keogan. The need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on whether climate or weather modification operations have taken place in Irish airspace. The floor is Senator Keogan's who has four minutes.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I congratulate Deputy Chambers on his elevation to deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. It is great to see him taking over in that role and I wish him every success in the growing of his party. On 3 August 2023, the European Commission published a paper on soldar radiation modification, SRM, a type of climate engineering in which sunlight is reflected back to our space to offset human caused climate changes. It states: "SRM research in the EU is limited. Some projects focusing on the implications and risks of engineering solar radiation have been supported by EU funds, focusing on the modelling of implications and the risks of engineering solar radiaton."

Have climate modification operations taken place in Irish airspace? At the moment, we have very ambitious climate targets. The Green Party, under Deputy Eamon Ryan, have missed our targets despite the high cost to the taxpayer. I want to note that the EU published this position paper a month after the US did. This strategy is being implemented in other countries and I just wanted to know what we are now doing.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I appreciate the kind words from both Senators and I am here to take this on behalf of the Taoiseach to whom I think the Senator submitted the item. I appreciate the Senator giving the Government the opportunity to provide an update on this matter.

Solar radiation modification, SRM, is the intentional large scale intervention in the Earth's climatic system attempting to reduce the influence of global warming. The aim of SRM is to artificially reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth. The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, discusses solar radiation modification in volume one, chapter four. In particular, the executive summary of chapter four states: "Solar radiation mofidication could offset some of the effects of anthropogenic warming on global and regional climate but there would be substantial residual and overcompensating climate chance at the regional scale and seasonal timescale and there is low confidence in our understanding of the climate response to SRM, specifically at the regional scale."To answer the Senator's question, Met Éireann confirms that it has not conducted any climate or weather modification programmes and it is not aware of any such activities in Irish airspace.

Sharon Keogan (Independent)
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I thank the Minister of State. I am glad he clarified that because each and every one of us get emails daily on this particular issue. I realise there is a three-year project involving UCL researchers. Research institutions from Ireland, Finland, Germany, the UK, Italy, France, the Netherlands and Poland are taking part in it. It is called the Co-Create project. They are engaged in this issue and it is great to see European funding has been made available to investigate how to govern this radiation modification research. There is work to be done on this. There are investigations going on at this moment in time within Europe, which Ireland is very much at the forefront of, and I welcome that. I am glad the Minister of State clarified the situation in relation to our airspace.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator. We will have a final comment from the Minister of State.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I will not repeat the clarification but I will say that Met Éireann will continue to monitor this science as it matures and will continue to work with the IPCC and others to ensure the latest climate science is made available in Ireland. I thank the Senator for raising this matter.