Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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130. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a climate delivery task force has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-government collaboration in all relevant departments in the land use, land use change and forestry sector, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; if he will report on their progress to date and the participation of his Department in the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31172/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Our 2023 Climate Action Plan contains several actions to deliver on the decarbonisation of our economy, supported by a robust governance structure. The Climate Action Delivery Board has an enhanced role in relation to delivery, including providing recommendations for overcoming barriers, while taskforces are being established to focus on key specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration.

Government published in March this year the first phase of the Land-use Review, which focused on the evidence. The first phase was chaired by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and several other agencies and bodies across government setting out the evidence base for the land use, land use change and forestry sector.

The final report consists of 10 documents and 19 recommendations indicating the need for more monitoring, enhancing of our mapping capability and better application of these tools to inform decision-making.

Building on Phase 1 of the Land-use Review, Phase 2 will seek to optimise land use across key Government objectives such as improving socioeconomic, climate, biodiversity, water, and air quality outcomes. To deliver this phase as with the first phase, several working groups are being established to deliver on the review’s technical, policy and engagement needs. These groups will be composed of subject matter experts drawn from the relevant civil, industry organisations, agencies, and bodies from across government. This critical second phase will soon commence.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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131. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a climate delivery taskforce has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and all relevant departments in the public sector, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; if he will report on their progress to date and the participation of his Department in the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31175/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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CAP23 action GV/23/2/E provides that in Q2 2023 DECC will establish a climate delivery taskforce or similar appropriate structures which focus on specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in the public sector.

A public sector sub-group of the Heat and Built Environment Taskforce as been established in this regard.

CAP23 action GV/23/2/E will be reported on in the context of the Department of the Taoiseach’s Q2 quarterly progress reporting on the Climate Action Plan.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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132. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a climate delivery taskforce has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in all relevant departments in the electricity sector, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; if he will report on their progress to date and the participation of his Department in the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31176/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Our 2023 Climate Action Plan (CAP 23) contains several actions to deliver on the decarbonisation of our economy, supported by a robust governance structure. The Climate Action Delivery Board has an enhanced role in relation to delivery, including providing recommendations for overcoming barriers, while taskforces are being established to focus on key specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration.

An Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce has been established to identify, coordinate, and prioritise the required policies to achieve the onshore renewable electricity targets, and to ensure that barriers to the implementation of such policies are removed or minimised to the greatest extent possible.

The establishment of the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce was a Q1 2023 action. The Taskforce membership is comprised of senior officials from the relevant Departments and State Bodies and has held two meetings to date, the first in March and the second in June.

To ensure a consistent approach across Government with respect to offshore wind roll-out, the inter-Departmental, inter-agency Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce was established in April 2022. This Taskforce was formed in order to accelerate delivery and capture the wider and longer-term economic opportunities associated with the development of offshore wind in Ireland.

Its membership comprises senior officials from the Government Departments and agencies that are vital to the delivery of Ireland’s Offshore Renewable Energy ambitions. This includes the Department of Housing. Local Government and Heritage with respect to marine planning; the Department of Transport with respect to ports infrastructure; and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with respect to supply chain matters. Further information is available at gov.ie - Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (www.gov.ie), including the Key Actions for 2023 across the across the workstreams the Taskforce has identified.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a climate delivery taskforce has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in all relevant departments in the built environment sector, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; if he will report on their progress to date and the participation of his Department in the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31177/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Heat and Built Environment Taskforce has been established to accelerate and drive delivery in relation to retrofitting, renewable heat, district heat, decarbonisation and overall energy use needs of the building stock. The overarching aim of the Taskforce is to: identify work on the critical paths to key targets under each area; ensuring alignment in the development of polices and activities underway across Government Departments; and, proactively managing risks to ensure targets are achieved. The Taskforce has met four times this year, in January, February, March, and May, and will meet again this week. The Terms of Reference for the Taskforce and notes of previous meetings have been published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/097fa-heat-and-built-environment-taskforce/.

The membership of the Taskforce aligns with the initial allocation of Ministerial responsibilities for the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings, as agreed by Government. The Taskforce is supported by working groups established to examine specific aspects of its remit including groups on industry, public sector, residential retrofit, biomethane, and district heating.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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134. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a climate delivery task force has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in all relevant Departments on citizen engagement, as outlined in the climate action plan annexe of actions; if he will report on its progress to date and the participation of his Department in the task force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31180/23]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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135. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a climate delivery taskforce has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in all relevant departments in ensuring a just transition, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; if he will report on their progress to date and the participation of his Department in the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31181/23]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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136. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on the expected timeline for delivery for a Just Transition Commission, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31182/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together.

The Government has adopted, through the Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23), a framework for a just transition, comprising four principles:

1. An integrated, structured, and evidence-based approach to identify and plan our response to just climate transition requirements.
2. People are equipped with the right skills to be able to participate in and benefit from the future net zero economy.
3. The costs are shared so that the impact is equitable and existing inequalities are not exacerbated.
4. Social dialogue to ensure impacted citizens and communities are empowered and are core to the transition process.

The Government has committed, through CAP 2023, to establishing a statutory Just Transition Commission, whose purpose should be to provide strategic advice to Government, integrating its role with existing governance and engagement structures, on how Government policy can further a just transition. I am continuing to progress the development of proposals in relation to the establishment of the Commission. This work has included engagement with relevant stakeholders to inform my approach to the mandate of the Commission, including through the National Climate Stakeholder Forum, the most recent meeting of which took place on 10 May last. The Government has also committed, through CAP 2023, to establishing a climate delivery taskforce, to focus on specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in ensuring a just transition.