Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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89. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 19 of 8 November 2022, the details of any engagement he has had since November 2022 with Galway City and County Councils with regard to supporting and promoting efforts at local government level on climate action; the details of any engagement he has had since November 2022 with the Atlantic Seaboard North CARO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9836/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 strengthens the role of Local Authorities for effective climate action. It sets out a statutory requirement for each Local Authority to prepare a Climate Action Plan within 12 months from when I formally issue a request to the sector to begin the preparation of such plans. I will issue this request shortly.

In order to increase the capacity of Local Authorities to support the preparation and delivery of the local Climate Action Plans, I allocated €3.5m in 2022 to support the Local Authorities to secure staffing resources. My Department issued a letter to the Chief Executive of each Local Authority, including Galway City and Galway County Councils, on the 26 October 2022 informing them of the provision of these resources. I will be writing shortly to all Local Authorities informing them of their 2023 allocation.

Beyond this, I have had no direct engagement with Galway City or Galway County Councils in relation to supporting and promoting efforts at Local Government level on climate action.

My Department continues to support and work with the four Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs) on a regular basis, in particular through participation in the National Local Authority Climate Action Steering Group and the CARO Management Group.

The CAROs work with Local Authorities to coordinate, facilitate and monitor implementation of local climate actions undertaken under existing local Adaptation Strategies and the Climate Charter, and assist in the preparation of the Local Authority Climate Action Plans.