Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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147. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to meet targets to reduce the effect of climate change here; and if there is an interdepartmental working group set up for this purpose. [21629/16]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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156. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he proposes to take specific steps in respect of climate action requirements; the way in which this is likely to impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32295/16]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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157. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the extent to which he and his Department have identified the most salient issues affecting this country through climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32296/16]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the development of policies likely to be complementary to issues arising from climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32297/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 156 to 158, inclusive, together.

The extent of the challenge arising from climate change is well understood by Government. Existing policy is set out in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (2014) which established a high-level policy direction for the adoption and implementation by Government of mitigation and adaptation plans to enable the State to pursue the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050 (known as the ‘national transition objective’). The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 established the national transition objective on a statutory basis and in order to facilitate the transition, provided,inter alia, for the development and submission to Government for approval of national mitigation plans and national adaptation frameworks.

Development work on the first mitigation plan and adaptation framework is progressing and is being co-ordinated by my  Department through national mitigation and national adaptation steering committees. Both committees are chaired by the Department and include membership from the relevant sectors as well as the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, EPA, SEAI, NewEra and the local government sector.  Work generally on the national transition objective is overseen by Government through a hierarchy of committees and sub-groups, with independent advice from the Climate Change Advisory Council, as appropriate.  These committees and groups include the Cabinet Committee and Senior Officials' Group on Infrastructure, Environment and Climate Action, a Technical Research and Modelling Group and a Domestic Climate Finance Group. 

Policy in relation to tackling both the mitigation and adaptation aspects of climate change in Ireland has been in development for a number of years, having regard to EU and international obligations, national policy and the recent legislative provisions referred to earlier. Taken together, these and other measures, including the mainstreaming of climate change considerations into policies and operations across different sectors and the National Dialogue on Climate Change, form part of a long-term strategy to pursue substantial decarbonisation of the energy, transport and built environment sectors and carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land sector. They will also assist our towns and cities to adapt to the future impacts that climate change will bring and ultimately build a level of climate resilience that society will require in the future.