Written answers

Thursday, 17 June 2021

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Climate Action Plan

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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252. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of action 6a of the Climate Action plan; the costs involved to complete same and to publish the methodology. [32690/21]

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Action 6a of the 'Interim Climate Actions 2021' called on my Department to "Develop a methodology for the analysis of departmental capital investment proposals from a climate perspective" as part of the larger action to "Publish a revised National Development Plan detailing Government capital expenditures planned over 2021 – 2030."

This methodology was developed by officials in my Department, in consultation with officials in the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. This methodology was duly issued to all Departments via a detailed guidance note and response template in line with Action 6b of the Interim Climate Actions. The results of this analysis will be incorporated into the NDP Review.

As this was an internal process, no costs were incurred, save the allocation of the time of staff in my Department. I will be happy to publish the methodology as part of the publication of the NDP Review.

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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253. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the current and capital costs involved with each action item in the Interim Climate Action Plan under his Department’s responsibility. [32700/21]

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The actions committed to in the Interim Annex of Climate Actions by my Department are broadly focused on ensuring that the tools and procedures in use across Government, such as the Public Spending Code and public procurement rules, take sufficient account of climate considerations.

The specific actions assigned to my Department include activities such as the progressive implementation of green budgeting reforms to promote and achieve improved environmental outcomes through the budgetary process; developing a methodology for assessing the potential climate and environmental impacts of each Government Departments’ capital investment proposals as part of the NDP review; and revising the shadow price of carbon applied to all Government investment appraisal to reflect the enhanced climate ambition set out in the draft Climate Action Bill, once the Bill is adopted.

The actions that fall under the Department’s responsibility in the Interim Climate Action Plan are being developed internally by my officials, with input from other Government Departments as appropriate and occasional specific support provided by vehicles like DG REFORM’s technical support instrument. As a result, my Department has incurred no costs, current or capital, in the development of these actions, save the allocation of the time of staff employed by my Department and no further costs are anticipated at this time.

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