Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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475. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the progress in emission reduction targets in areas that are the responsibility of her Department; which measures are particularly successful and which measures are underperforming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67042/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This Department's energy consumption is reported to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on an annual basis and tracked against the targets set out in the Climate Action Mandate to achieve a 50% improvement in energy efficiency and a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The latest report submitted to SEAI relates to 2024 emissions and targets. The Department had responsibility for significant functions at that time, relating to the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine and the provision of accommodation for applicants for International Protection. These drove large increases in staff and operations throughout that period.

The larger staff cohort required to service these functions, and the significant accommodation footprint occupied by the Department at that time (including our headquarters in Miesian Plaza, Dublin 2, as well as offices in Montague Court, Dublin 2 and the Citywest Transit Hub), were the drivers for a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel sources, which rose by 21% over 2023 levels. This was partly offset by a reduction of 5.1% in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 from non-fossil fuel sources.

However, in 2024 the Department almost reached the public sector target of improving energy efficiency by 50%. This is due to the high occupation levels in the Department’s buildings across the year, which provided economies of scale in terms of the energy used per member of staff.

Following the transfer of functions between Government Departments earlier this year, the Department is now solely accommodated in our headquarters in Miesian Plaza.