Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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79. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the national heat policy statement, which was due to be published at the end of 2023; when he expects it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37886/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Heat Study, published by the SEAI, contains detailed analysis that is being used to inform the development of options, policies and measures to decarbonise Ireland’s heating and cooling sectors to 2050, including the drafting of a Heat Policy Statement. The Heat Policy Statement will set out Ireland's overarching approach to decarbonising the heat sector. A draft Statement, informed by the findings of the National Heat Study, has been prepared and has undergone extensive consultation with Government departments and agencies.

The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive requires that certain plans and programmes, including policy statements, which are likely to have a significant impact on the environment, be subject to the SEA process. A screening assessment confirmed that the draft Heat Policy Statement was a plan or programme for the purposes of the SEA Directive and has potential for significant effects on the environment. It was therefore necessary to undertake a full Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to ensure a formal, systematic evaluation of the likely environmental effects of implementing the Policy.

An SEA Environmental Report was recently completed, and a public consultation on the SEA Environmental Report and the draft Heat Policy Statement is now being prepared. Following completion of the consultation process, the draft Heat Policy Statement will be submitted to Government for approval and publication.