Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will meet next. [49640/23]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2. To ask the Taoiseach to report on the work of the climate action unit of his Department. [49685/23]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

3. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will next meet. [49831/23]

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

4. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will next meet. [49832/23]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

5. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will next meet. [50901/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

6. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change will meet next. [50904/23]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on environment and climate change oversees the implementation of the ambitious programme for Government commitments on the environment and climate change. The committee has met four times in 2023 and its next meeting will take place on 27 November. The climate action unit within the Department of the Taoiseach seeks to co-ordinate and drive climate action across all Departments by assisting the work of the Cabinet committee and associated senior official groups.

The unit also provides secretariat support to the climate action delivery board, which is composed of the Secretaries General of those Departments that have core responsibilities in ensuring the Government's climate objectives are met. The board oversees the delivery of the climate action plan and acts as a forum for identifying solutions to any challenges or obstacles impeding delivery. It last met in October and is due to meet again in the coming weeks.

The climate action unit also monitors implementation of actions agreed as part of the climate action plan. Each quarter, it reports to the Government on progress under the climate action plan and these reports are published on the Department's website. The unit chairs several interdepartmental groups in the areas of climate research and modelling, climate communications and EU climate policy developments. It also assists the climate action units that have been established in each Department.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to address energy security and the potential for indigenous gas supply in Ireland, recognising the need for gas as a transition fuel until renewables are fully brought online. Ireland currently imports a significant proportion of its gas, leaving us dependent on imports once Corrib is no longer viable. Europa Oil and Gas has requested an extension of its exploration licences at the Inishkea site, which is next to the Corrib gas field off the coast of Mayo, to complete further survey work and find a partner to commence drilling at the gas field. Initial surveys indicate the new site could extend the life of the Bellanaboy gas terminal by at least 15 years, preserving up to 180 jobs and making Ireland up to 75% self-sufficient in gas. The Inishkea prospect certainly has the potential to ensure Ireland has 92% more than previous estimates, which would make it much larger than the Corrib gas field. Given the significant benefits of the project, including energy security, job creation and economic development, will the Taoiseach provide clarity on the Government's stance on supporting it and ensuring Ireland's energy security through indigenous gas supply?

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is great at setting targets and disgraceful at delivering them. It is nearly December and we are still waiting for the climate action progress report for quarter 3. When will that report be published? In mid-October, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, advised it would be delivered shortly. More than a month later, there is still no update on how Ireland is addressing climate change. Will the report be delivered this side of Christmas?

According to the Climate Change Advisory Council, 49.3% of the 2021-25 carbon budget has been used in the first two years and we are on track to exhaust 123% of the allocated budget by 2030. By refusing to depart from its business-as-usual approach, the Government will almost certainly max out the 2025 carbon budget before it has left office. Budget 2024 reaffirms that position. According to a report by Eurostat, Ireland lags way behind our European counterparts. When it comes to reducing emissions, we are the worst performer in the EU.

The RESS 3 auction cleared the lowest amount of renewables to date at the highest price. Is it any wonder that our electricity sector is in fact the worst performing of all sectors? Despite the announcement of solar panels for schools announced by the Government more than one year ago in budget 2023, not one school has been fitted with a solar panel and nor are there any details of the scheme. Will the Taoiseach admit that this Government is setting Ireland on a path to certain climate failure?

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The impacts of climate change are there for most of us in this Chamber to see and to acknowledge. The change was evidenced recently in the magnitude of the flooding events in Cork and nationwide. We had our various ministerial visits over that month but the most important one for me was the visit of the OPW. At the time genuine conversations were had with locals about interim measures that could be taken outside of the flood prevention scheme that already has works under way. There was a hope that certain in-stream works could be undertaken out of season. I am of the understanding that once the deadline of 30 September has passed, in exceptional emergency circumstances requiring relief from flooding, landslide and subsidence and relating to human safety, in-stream works by local authorities out of season can be permitted, subject to strict conditions by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. In this scenario it must be shown to the Department's satisfaction that the relevant local authority is taking all precautions and making such provisions for the protection of fisheries and so on. Will the Taoiseach provide an update, if possible in the coming days, from the OPW to see if the office is seriously engaging with allowing the contractors that are already there on site to go in and do some in-stream works to help unclog and unblock much of the river that is already blocked up?

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I recently introduced a Bill in the Dáil around the whole area of anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is the really cool process where organic material is turned into biogas, which can then be used in energy or electricity production. When we think of anaerobic digestion we think of the bigger-scale anaerobic digesters, ADs, taking inputs from the agri-sector and from industry but less well known are the small, miniature anaerobic digesters. There is an excellent company based in west Cork called MyGug. The website is mygug.eu. They have small anaerobic digesters that can be used in the household. It is an excellent premise whereby food waste such as peelings from vegetables or even cooked food that has not been eaten can go into the AD and produce a gas, which can then be used to do cooking. It is the perfect example of the circular economy. It can also be used in businesses. One can imagine hotels, cafes and restaurants using this very effectively, saving money, saving emissions and reducing emissions, as well as dealing with the food waste issue. The problem is that while people can get grants from the Department of enterprise for energy efficiency grants, these small ADs are not covered. Very simply I am asking if a small amendment could be made to the efficiency grant scheme whereby these small and miniature anaerobic digesters can be available under grant aid.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Many thousands of people swim in Dublin Bay every day, particularly during the summer. Even during the winter very hardy souls swim. The numbers are growing all the time. For years now - and this continues to be the case - when heavy rains come down the sewage mixes with the rainwater, at least in our area, and the pumping station off the West Pier is not able to pump the stuff out quickly enough. This problem is supposed to be resolved by the upgrading of this sewage treatment plant in Ringsend but it is still happening. Regularly when there is heavy rain, the warning is given that one cannot swim at Seapoint and around Dún Laoghaire because we still have not resolved this problem to ensure water quality for swimmers. Is the committee aware of this and when will it be resolved? It has been going on for years. Swimming is a healthy pursuit and exercise for many thousands of people but we are still in this intolerable situation when heavy rain comes and people are told they cannot swim.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is another day and we have another devastating report predicting catastrophe for humanity if we continue on the track we are on. The UN environmental programme report on the emissions gap says we are heading for 3°C. It says that by 2030, we will have overshot the carbon budget to give us a 50% chance of avoiding 1.5°C, and then we will keep going.

The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, has said that all of this is a failure of leadership, a betrayal of the vulnerable and a large missed opportunity. If he wanted to know why, if he listened in to the debate in this Chamber over the past hour he would get an illustration of precisely what that looks like. A backbench TD from the Taoiseach's own party was calling for more drilling of oil and gas. The Taoiseach himself just a few moments ago said that we cannot have system change, that system change takes time and that Ireland only produces so many emissions so there is only really so much we can do. This Government is committed to business as usual while the world burns and while we head towards absolute catastrophe for billions of people on this planet, including in this country with more floods, and the impact of climate change worldwide with droughts, famines and so on. Why does the Taoiseach refuse to act? Why is it business as usual? Is it because the profits for the fossil fuel companies, the data centres, the big tech, and the big agribusinesses come before people and the future of our planet?

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Has the Taoiseach read the report issued by Oxfam and others in the past days on the wealth divide in the context of carbon emissions? They tell us that the richest 1% in the world account for more carbon emissions than two thirds of the world's population. They tell us that someone who is in the poorest 99% of the world's population, which is the vastly overwhelming majority of humanity, would take 1,500 years to account for the same number of carbon emissions as that of some billionaires today. They conclude that "The super-rich are plundering and polluting the planet to the point of destruction and it is those who can least afford it who are paying the highest price."

I am aware the Taoiseach is a little bit ideologically committed on this issue but would he not see the error of his ways and admit now that there is a need for serious wealth taxes on the super wealthy to pay for the measures we need to tackle the climate crisis and that we need to go further and end the rule of the rich and the system of capitalism itself? Maybe the Taoiseach would look again at his policies in that regard.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies. Deputy Dillon asked a question on energy security and gas security. The Government's view, which I endorse strongly, is that long-term gas security is secured through the development of green hydrogen and biogas, and biomethane in particular. In the medium term, our security comes from the Corrib field and the interconnectors with the UK. There will also be a need for some form of LNG storage, either floating or fixed. That is to be determined over the next few months.

With regard to new blue gas fields, no new expiration licences are being permitted by the Government but existing ones can be used. I do not know the details of the specific licence the Deputy referred to. I have read something about it the newspapers but I do not know all the facts. It has to be considered by the Department officials rather than by the Government.

On the implementation of the climate action plan for this year, the climate action plan for 2023 sets out how Ireland will respond to the climate crisis by placing the delivery of climate solutions at the heart of the development of our society. This plan includes actions to tackle the mitigation and adaption challenges posed by climate change. The Department of the Taoiseach prepares quarterly progress reports on the delivery of measures committed to under the climate action plan. These are published online for full transparency of the climate action plan implementation. The progress reports provide a detailed breakdown of completed and delayed actions each quarter. The latest progress report for the climate action plan was published last week on 14 November and placed on the Department's website. It reports on actions that were due to be completed in quarter three 2023. There have now been three progress reports produced under the Climate Action Plan 2023.

A delivery rate of 75% was reported for quarter 1 of 2023 a delivery rate of 63% was reported for quarter 2 of 2023 and a delivery rate of 29% was reported for quarter 3 of 2023. Combined, this gives an overall implementation rate of approximately 67% so far this year. The Deputy's attention is drawn to high impact measures across all progress reports highlighting the actions with more significant emissions reductions or adaption potential. The latest progress report details progress made on the 42 climate actions due for implementation in quarter 3 of this year. All delayed measures listed in the quarter 3 progress report will be carried forward and reported on in quarter 4. A considerable number of delayed actions in this quarter's report are minor delays and are expected to be completed shortly. Some high impact measures that were completed in quarter 3 and were highlighted in the progress report include the onshore RESS auction, the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, the launch of the new forestry programme and the introduction of a national fertiliser database.

I do not have an update on Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan's question about flood relief in Cork. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, is aware of the issue. I might ask him to come back directly on that. He is interested in exploring interim works that might help but is also aware of the problems we ran into with Lough Muckno, in Roscommon and so on in going ahead with work that might then be stopped for environmental reasons.

Anaerobic digestion is definitely a big part of the future as regards producing biogas and we are keen to encourage and support that as part of the systemic change that needs to happen. I am not familiar with small ones at household or business level. I am glad to hear they exist. I am not sure how they work or how the gas is stored but I will follow up on the issue of whether grants could be provided for that technology. As someone who composts, I have been able to avoid a lot of waste. I did not know it could be turned into biogas in a house. Perhaps it can. I would be interested to see how that works. It is a revelation for me.

Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will send the Taoiseach the details.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Please do.

The condition of the seawater at Seapoint and Dún Laoghaire in Dublin Bay after heavy rain has not been discussed at Cabinet subcommittee level, but I will bring it to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. My understanding is that the Poolbeg upgrade is supposed to deal with that. I hope it will. I will seek further information on it.

I did not have a chance to read the Oxfam report - I have seen the summary - but it will not be a huge revelation to anyone that the richest people produce the most emissions. They have the biggest houses and cars and they fly most often, so it stands to reason that they produce the most emissions. There are all sorts of carbon taxes that now apply to people using fuel in their cars, ETSs and so on. The evidence around wealth taxes imposed unilaterally by individual countries is not good. They tend not to raise very much money and tend to lead to wealth leaving for lower tax jurisdictions, which would mean everyone becoming worse off and would not help with funding climate action.