Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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293. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current measures being taken to identify key sectors that will require additional State supports to successfully transition to low-carbon production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29810/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department is pro-actively integrating climate action in activities, and those of our agencies; engaging with businesses in Ireland from microbusinesses to large corporates about the many opportunities for decarbonisation and cost effective efficiencies.

My Department has recently published a Roadmap for the Decarbonisation of Industrial Heat. It outlines the necessary trajectory to meet our binding decarbonisation targets in the manufacturing sectors. It sets out the key policy interventions to decarbonise heat use by industry, including the supports available to companies, the regulations to promote decarbonisation, and the enabling measure that will facilitate the transition.

The Roadmap, available on my Department's website, highlights opportunities to remove fossil fuels in the food and drink, chemicals, pharmaceutical and alumina sectors. It emphasises the cost effective role electrification can play in these sectors, while also pointing to a role of decarbonised gases such as biomethane. This is aligned with the recently published National Biomethane Strategy, which supports an agri-centric approach to the delivery of up to 5.7TWh of indigenously produced biomethane by 2030, and prioritises its use to displace fossil fuels in high temperature heat processes in industry.

The cement sector too has an essential role to play. The State must use its purchasing power to incentivise lower carbon production of a key input to our housing and infrastructure. I have recently written to public bodies to advise them of new guidance when designing public projects, and procuring cement and concrete products. The guidance sends a clear message to the construction, concrete and cement sectors as to the urgent imperative to invest in lower carbon products and project design. We must use lower carbon cements, and also increase the use of lower carbon construction materials such as timber, alongside Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

Alongside the publication of the Industry Decarbonisation Roadmap I announced that €300 million is being made available to drive the decarbonisation of Ireland’s industrial emitters over the coming years. The fund will be used by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support client companies to reduce their industrial emissions between now and 2030 through the Environmental Aid scheme.

Thousands of businesses are already being supported through the Green Transition Fund, SEAI energy programmes, SkillNet Ireland training, the LEO Green for Business programme, and a range of other advisory, training and grant aid offerings. My Department, and key state agencies, will continue working to ensure that all businesses in Ireland are activated and engaged in the green transition, ensuring Ireland’s economy remains competitive, resilient and sustainable as we progress towards our target to be net zero by 2050.