Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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183. To ask the Taoiseach the status of the actions as set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021 in the areas of just transition, carbon pricing, electricity, enterprise, built environment, the National Retrofit Plan, transport, agriculture, land use, circular economy and adaptation. [4307/22]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Climate Action Plan 2021 sets a roadmap for taking decisive action across society to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% below 2018 levels by 2030, achieve climate resilience and a climate neutral economy no later than 2050, as committed to in the Programme for Government.

The Plan and associated Annex of Actions identify where necessary emissions reductions can be achieved and set out a series of actions and measures to reach these targets. Departments and Agencies are given responsibility to lead in executing these measures and timelines for their delivery have been set.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 was published on 4 November 2021 and was followed by the publication of the Annex of Actions on 14 December 2021.

My Department has responsibility for periodic reporting on the implementation of measures committed to under the Plan and its Annex. The first such report under the Climate Action Plan 2021 will address measures due to be completed in Quarter 1 2022, the first full quarter since the Plan’s publication in December, and will also report on measures that were due to be completed in Quarter 4 of 2021.

My Department’s most recently compiled quarterly report of the delivery of climate actions, based on interim actions agreed pending the publication of Climate Action Plan 2021, was published in December 2021 and is available on my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/55fde-climate-action-important-publications/.

This report contains the most recently compiled updates from Departments on climate action measures, including in those areas listed in the Deputy’s question, that they were tasked with delivering in the period up to the end of September 2021.

Any request for updates on the areas listed in the Deputy’s question outside the reporting intervals outlined above should be directed to the responsible Minister.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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184. To ask the Taoiseach if all Departments have established a climate action unit; and if all units are currently operational. [4317/22]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Interim Climate Actions 2021 committed to “Establish an appropriately resourced Climate Action Unit in every Government Department to ensure Climate considerations are at the core of policy development” (Action 22).

The latest progress report on the Interim Climate Actions, covering the period up to the end of September 2021confirmed that 16 of 18 (89%) Government Departments had established Climate Action Units. These units vary in structure and size according to the individual needs of Departments.

Details of each Departmental Unit can be found in the Q2 2021 and Q3 2021 Progress Reports under the Interim Climate Actions (available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/55fde-climate-action-important-publications/).

The final two outstanding Departments (The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth) demonstrated good progress on establishing their Climate Action Units in 2021 and this was highlighted in the Q3 2021 Interim Actions Progress Report.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 re-commits to this action to ensure remaining Departments establish their Climate Action Units (Action 62). An update will be sought from these Departments on their progress for the upcoming combined Q4 2021 and Q1 2022 Climate Action Plan 2021 Progress Report.

To further the effectiveness of Climate Action Units, the Climate Action Plan 2021 includes an action to establish a Climate Action Unit Network across Departments in Q1 2022.

A work programme for the network will also be established in Q1 2022, with the intention of hosting training and information events within the network to facilitate collaboration and peer learning across all Units.