Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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1410. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection his views on the public and private financial resources required and available to support his Department’s plans to meet Ireland’s climate targets by 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19104/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social Protection is extremely conscious of the part it needs to play in the reaching of climate action targets for the public sector, as set out by government in relevant Climate Action Plans. In this regard, the targets to be achieved by 2030, as detailed in the Climate Action Mandate, are:

• Improve energy efficiency in the public sector by 50%.
• Reduce energy related GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions by 51%.

In 2021, the Department of Social Protection was the first government department to receive IS0 50001 certification, the international standard for energy management systems which facilitates improvement in energy performance. The department takes part in annual surveillance audits and in 2024 successfully achieved recertification.

To support this initiative, my department works closely with external partners, most notably the Office of Public Works (OPW), Aramark and SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland). Our ongoing partnership with these stakeholders is crucial to our success in meeting our energy efficiency and GHG reduction goals and the department maintains an approach of continuous improvement, identifying and progressing opportunities for savings wherever appropriate.