Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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78. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which Ireland continues to make progress towards meeting climate change issues, with particular reference to flooding prevention, land drainage/management and any other issues of potential positive impact in meeting the various climate challenges in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27532/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The 2024 National Adaptation Framework (NAF), which was approved and published by Government on 5 June 2024, sets out Ireland's climate adaptation policy. The new NAF was completed following my Department's review of the framework in 2022 and a statutory public consultation undertaken earlier this year.

The new NAF, developed with input from key sectors, the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) and the Environmental Protection Agency, integrates national and international policy developments since 2018, including work progressed at Local Authority level; through Sectoral Adaptation Plans (SAPs); and new climate research. It outlines a whole of government and society approach to climate adaptation in Ireland. Through sectors in relevant Departments, it aims to improve the enabling environment for mainstreaming adaptation action. The NAF outlines how sectors work with local government, civil society, the private sector, and the research community.

According to the CCAC’s 2023 Climate Change Adaptation Scorecard report, the Agriculture, Forestry and Seafood sector was rated as moderate overall, with good progress observed in mainstreaming adaptation into new policies, planning and financing frameworks. The Flood Risk Management sector was rated as good overall, with the Office of Public Works found to have strong internal structures in place to coordinate the planning, implementation and monitoring of its SAP.

Under the new NAF, 13 key sectors, including Flood Risk Management and Agriculture, will develop new SAPs to address the negative impacts of climate change and to benefit from potential positive impacts. The Government has requested that these SAPs be completed by 30 September 2025.