Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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179. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the cross-jurisdictional collaboration which took place in 2022 between his Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Rural and Community Development in Northern Ireland. [63134/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department (DECC), along with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Teagasc have engaged with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute NI (AFBI NI) through the NI/Ireland Ammonia Update Forum in 2022. This update takes place periodically between officials in the two jurisdictions. It is a forum for discussions at a technical and scientific level, exchanging information and ideas on scientific and technical issues such as monitoring campaigns, impact assessments, licensing, and ongoing research on emissions of ammonia in Ireland. Ammonia emissions arise primarily from agriculture and are transboundary, presenting common challenges for both jurisdictions.The most recent meeting took place in May 2022, attended by officials from DECC, DAFM, EPA, Teagasc, DAERA and AFBI NI. Several academics from Irish Universities were also in attendance. A further meeting is being scheduled for 2023.

The Inland Fisheries Division jointly manages governance over the Loughs Agency with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (NI). The Loughs Agency is a North South implementation body established under the British Irish agreement. While the Assembly in Northern Ireland has not been functioning, the formal meeting of Ministers in the North-South Ministerial Council has not been facilitated.However, the long-standing and close working relationship between officials has ensured that the core functions of the Agency (fishery and natural resource management and development, marine recreational support and cross -border community initiatives have continued to be funded and delivered. This relationship has also resulted in the establishment of a number of cross-border scientific, collaborative and support working groups which have continued to embed co-operation as a key feature of joint working arrangements.My Department and NI officials have also been liaising regarding the EU PEACEPLUS programme for the development of project proposals on topics such as clean air and geothermal energy. It is the programme’s intention that several clean air projects will be developed and agreed by mid-2023, with a call for tenders by the end of the year. The wider Government engagement with the EU and Northern Ireland on PEACEPLUS is led by the Department of Finance.