Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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172. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will list the job title and Department of all those who attended COP 27 as part of the Irish delegation. [61704/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I led Ireland’s National Delegation at the COP27 Conference and participated at the continuation of the high-level segment during the second week of the conference.  

The Department’s delegation consisted of myself as head, 2 advisors, and 7 officials (1X Assistant Secretary, 1X Principal Officer, 1X Assistant Principal Officer, 3X Administrative Officers, 1X Legal Advisor). In addition, Ireland’s first national climate youth delegate, selected by the National Youth Council of Ireland, was also a member of my Department’s delegation. There were 42 members of the wider Irish delegation which included the Taoiseach and officials from his Department, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and officials from their Department, and officials from the Department of Finance, the Department of Health, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The national delegation also included representatives from relevant State Bodies and Agencies including personnel from the Environmental Protection Agency, Met Éireann, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Officials from the Irish Embassy in Egypt who were already based in the country also attended the Conference. My Department does not maintain records of the titles of officials in attendance from other Government Departments or Agencies; such information can be obtained directly from the relevant Department or Agency.  

In parallel to the negotiations, my engagements at COP27 focused on supporting Ireland’s climate priorities, which include promoting greater ambition, accelerating a shift away from fossil fuel dependence and calling for increased climate finance, with improved accessibility and quality of adaptation finance going to the most vulnerable.  As part of the commitment to provide €225 million per year in climate finance by 2025, a more than doubling of our support, I announced a funding package of €24m at COP27 to support climate action in developing countries. This includes new funding of over €18m, including €1 million to the Special Climate Change Fund to support adaptation action in Small Island Developing States, €11 million for the Global Environment Fund, €1 million to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and €5 million to the Global Shield Against Climate Risks to protect the most vulnerable from climate loss and damage (part of €10million announced by the Taoiseach on 8 November). I also participated at membership meetings of high-level coalitions, including the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA), the High Ambition Coalition, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.