Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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358. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when publication of the sectoral adaptation plan for energy envisaged under the national policy position for tackling climate change will take place; to set out the preparations and progress his Department has made towards the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38950/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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My Department participates in the climate adaptation process through the steering committee for sectoral adaptation plans, which is chaired by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. A key factor in the timing and progress of sectoral adaptation planning was the publication in April 2013 of an EU Strategy on adaptation. Action 1 of that Strategy states that by 2014, the European Commission will develop an adaptation preparedness scoreboard. The scoreboard is directly relevant to sectoral adaptation planning in Ireland. Discussions which involve the European Commission and all Member States are ongoing. An update on progress will be provided at the next steering committee meeting in November.

In parallel with these discussions I have formed a steering group to look specifically at the challenges facing the energy sector in dealing with climate change. This group comprises officials from my Department, the Commission for Energy Regulation, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and EirGird, along with representatives from the electricity and gas network operators.

I anticipate receiving a draft climate adaptation plan for the energy sector by the end of this year and publishing it soon thereafter.