Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Dialogue on Climate Action (NDCA), led by my Department, is the central vehicle to engage, enable, and empower people to participate in taking climate action and inform climate policy.

Populations vulnerable to the transition to carbon neutrality, including specific groups with persons with disabilities, are actively engaged through the NDCA via focus groups and workshops as part of the annual Climate Conversations, which has included the Rehab Group and the National Council for the Blind. Also, representatives from the National Disability Authority and Disabled Persons Organisations have actively participated in the National Climate Stakeholder Forum events held since March 2022.

Insights into the challenges facing people living with disabilities in the transition to a carbon neutral future have been captured through these activities. These insights were subsequently conveyed to relevant officials in my Department and have been considered in the drafting of Climate Action Plan 2024.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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99. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of local authority climate action plans that have been completed to-date; the details of any engagement his Department has had with Galway City and County Councils in 2024 with regard to the development of their respective local authority climate action plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11058/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Local government has a key role to play in implementing mitigation and adaptation measures to meet Ireland’s national climate targets. Local authorities have been given an expanded mandate to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions through the statutory requirement to prepare Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs).

The LA CAPs represent a new opportunity to further embed climate mitigation and adaptation at the local level and will enhance Local Authorities’ capacity to lead, coordinate and become agents of change in response to ongoing climate breakdown.

I made a request to each Local Authority to begin preparation of their plans in February 2023 and issued statutory guidelines to support them in this work in March 2023. These plans are due to be adopted in Q1 2024.

I am aware that all Local Authorities have now completed the public consultation process for the LA CAPS and that, to date, 29 of the 31 Local Authorities have formally adopted their plans. I understand that my Department has not had any specific engagement with Galway City or Galway County Councils in relation to the development of their LA CAPs to date in 2024.