Eoin Hayes (Dublin Bay South, Social Democrats)
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1822. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her views on the public and private financial resources required and available to support her Department’s plans to meet Ireland’s climate targets by 2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19091/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to achieving a 51% reduction in Ireland’s overall emissions from 2021 to 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The Public Sector Climate Action Mandate outlines that Departments and public bodies must lead by example in implementing climate-related goals. As part of the Mandate, my Department is required to publish our targets and achievements in our Climate Action Roadmap.

The purpose of our Climate Action Roadmap is to encourage strategic vision, coordination, organisation, mobilisation, and planning within our organisation, with a view to meeting our responsibilities under the Climate Action Mandate.

In that regard, climate action both provides a context for the high level goals in our Statement of Strategy 2023-2025 and complements how we set about achieving our objectives. The Statement of Strategy outlines our role in enhancing the lives of everyone in Ireland from childhood onwards by upholding rights, promoting equality of opportunity, recognising diversity, and delivering supportive legislation, policies and services. In implementing our mission and strategy, we recognise the that the breadth and impact of our remit affords us the provides us opportunity to inform and positively influence people, most notably children and young people, with regard to climate action and to promote sustainability. We also examine ways that we can further influence climate action objectives through the policy and budgetary decisions we take.

We also seek to promote climate action and sustainability as part of how we work as individuals and collectively as an organisation. Our internal Facilities Team works closely with the Office of Public Works in delivering improvements to the energy efficiency of our buildings and in reducing our emissions. We are examining our behaviours and activities in terms of travel, how we work in the office and at home, and looking at further ways we can adapt our way of working. Our Learning and Development team is also supporting efforts to raise awareness and promote behavioural changes by providing training on climate action objectives to our staff.