Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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761. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a national energy forum has been established; if so, the number of times it has met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30488/18]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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On foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, I established the National Dialogue on Climate Action in 2017. The National Dialogue subsumes the proposal in the Energy White Paper, 'Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future 2015-2030,' to establish a National Energy Forum to maximise and maintain consensus on the broad policy measures required in the energy transition. Therefore, the National Energy Forum will be a part of the National Dialogue.

The primary objective of the National Dialogue will be to ensure an inclusive process of engagement and consensus building across society towards enabling the transformation to a low carbon and climate-resilient future. To do this, the Dialogue will seek to create awareness, engagement and motivation to act (locally, regionally and nationally) in relation to the challenges presented by climate change and to establish, on a long term basis, appropriate networks for people to meet periodically to consider evidence-based inputs on the economic, social, behavioural, environmental and public aspects of climate and energy policy. This is also in line with the objectives for the National Energy Forum envisaged in the Energy White Paper.

National Dialogue initiatives already being implemented include the Green Schools National Climate Change Action and Awareness Programme, incorporating Climate Action Week, the Green Schools Climate Expo, and the Climate Ambassador Programme; the EPA Climate Lecture Series; the Tidy Towns Climate Award; and the Regional Gatherings.

I hosted the first Regional Gathering in Athlone on 23 June last, and this event was targeted at community organisations and individuals from the counties of Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Longford, Roscommon, and Leitrim. A report on the outcomes of this event will be published shortly on my Department’s website at www.dccae.gov.ie. I intend that a number of further Regional Gatherings will take place in other regions across Ireland in the coming months.