Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware all sectors of society are learning to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. The decarbonisation of how companies generate heat during the manufacturing process is one aspect of that.

As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment it is my responsibility - through the work of my Department and its enterprise agencies – to meet the targets set out in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.

In 2022, industrial emissions accounted for 9.7% of Ireland’s total emissions - manufacturing combustion accounted for almost two thirds of that. The legislation requires that the industrial on-site emissions in the manufacturing sectors are reduced by 20% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.

My Department is actively working towards those targets, guided by the White Paper on Enterprise which firmly establishes decarbonisation as a core pillar of the Department’s work. It is now a key measure of our success, alongside employment and productivity.

Through its enterprise agencies, my Department is pro-actively engaging Irish businesses on the many opportunities for decarbonisation. Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland have identified around 30 client companies which have the potential to achieve the necessary reduction in Ireland’s industrial emissions, primarily in the cement, alumina, food & beverage, pharmaceutical and chemicals sectors.

I am committed to working closely with the agencies and supporting them to accelerate the decarbonisation of our largest industry emissions through funding via Environmental Aid and to help smaller businesses adapt via the Green Transition Fund, which contains a range of supports for businesses to make the green transition.

In addition, in the coming weeks, my Department will publish the Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap, under the Heat and Built Environment Taskforce. This report will be a valuable tool for manufacturers as it will document and communicate the emissions reduction pathway.