Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 215 of 6 November 2025, if he will provide an estimated timeframe for the implementation of the process to establish a link between the carbon markets of the European Union and the United Kingdom, and by extension the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, through a European Union/United Kingdom agreement linking the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), as committed to at the EU/UK Summit in May 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62390/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Emissions trading is a key part of the global effort to decarbonise industry and achieve our net zero carbon emissions' goals. The UK is a valuable partner as we seek to achieve these targets.

Since Brexit, the EU and UK have had separate Emission Trading Systems (ETS). At the EU-UK Summit in May, both sides agreed to work towards linking these systems under a future agreement that will require the UK to dynamically align with EU rules. It is hoped that this agreement will, in turn, create the conditions for goods originating in our jurisdictions to benefit from mutual exemptions from the respective EU and UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms.

Today, 13 November 2025, the Council formally authorised the Commission to open negotiations with the UK on an ETS linkage agreement. The timeframe for these negotiations is currently unknown.

From an Irish perspective however, I continue to advocate for strong momentum in advancing post Summit agreements. This is in the mutual interest of both the EU and the UK, and is also particularly important in addressing issues related to the island of Ireland, including in relation to efficient and effective emissions trading systems.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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159. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the oversight mechanisms which are in place to monitor and assess the effectiveness and impact of Ireland’s climate finance channelled through multilateral funds and organisations; and the way in which the Government ensures equivalent oversight and accountability for this funding as for finance provided through civil society and bilateral partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62372/25]

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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160. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether the Government has delivered on the commitment in Ireland’s Climate Finance Roadmap to scale up climate finance channelled through bilateral partnerships and civil society organisations, rather than primarily through multilateral funds and institutions; the progress on this commitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62373/25]

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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161. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the thematic focus of Ireland’s international climate finance commitments post-2025; whether the principle of a just transition will be explicitly integrated into Ireland’s future climate finance programming; the measures being taken to ensure that Ireland’s climate finance is provided as grant-based finance not only at the point of disbursement but also in practice throughout the full financing cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62374/25]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 159, 160 and 161 together.

International climate finance is a key priority for the Government and for Ireland’s foreign policy. The Government has made significant progress in scaling up Ireland's international climate finance in recent years.

Ireland’s International Climate Finance Roadmap, published in 2022, sets out how we will deliver on the target of providing at least €225 million annually in climate finance by 2025. The Roadmap is rooted in Ireland’s effective climate finance to date, which focuses primarily on supporting adaptation to climate change in vulnerable countries. We are on track to meet the €225 million target this year.

Ireland’s climate finance is channelled through our Missions abroad, through multilateral organisations, and through NGO partners. In 2023, Ireland provided €159.2 million in climate finance, an increase of 32% on the previous year.

Robust systems are in place on the traceability of Ireland’s funding to multilateral agencies. We have a strong reliance on the comprehensive internal and external oversight functions, which we and other international donors have insisted on for the multilateral agencies. Ireland also engages actively on Executive Boards at UN agency level and through the relevant oversight committees in the EU context.

The Government reports on our climate finance yearly contributions to the European Union, to the OECD and to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also publishes an annual Climate and Environmental Finance Report, providing comprehensive information regarding funding sources, thematic and geographic priorities, and disbursement channels.

Bilateral climate finance totalled €59,151,495 in 2023. This represents an increase of 39% on the figure for the previous year. Of this, €27,848,491 was provided via Ireland’s overseas mission network and related schemes. This figure is 58% higher than 2022. Our missions abroad are continuing to work on strengthening the integration of climate adaptation into broader development programming. The remaining €31,303,005 was provided via fifteen Irish civil society organisations. This is 26% higher than for the same channel in 2022.

In 2024, we estimate that Ireland provided more than €190 million in climate finance. A finalised figure for 2024 will be published following verification of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) data by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) which is expected later this year.

All of Ireland's international climate finance is grants-based at point of distribution. None of the climate finance provided directly to date has been in the form of loans.

In 2023, 16% of Ireland’s climate finance (approximately €25.5 million) was provided to multilateral climate funds and 18% (approximately €28.4 million) was provided to multilateral development banks and international financial institutions. This finance is provided as grants to multilateral development banks and multilateral climate funds.

An external review of the 2022 Climate Finance Roadmap is being completed in 2025, and it will be used to inform climate finance expenditure in the period 2026-2030.