Niamh Smyth
Question:54. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the measures his Department is taking to tackle textile waste. [41392/24]
View answerEnvironmental Policy
Questions (54)
Written answers
Our consumption of textiles and our generation of textile waste in Ireland are unsustainable at current rates. This is a complex problem with local and global impact that requires a range of interventions by many actors. Tackling textile waste is a key priority of the National Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and a Focus Area under the Local Authorities' National Waste Management Plan.
My Department is delivering on a number of measures currently.
In 2022, I established a Textile Advisory Group with a membership including industry, regulators and charities. That group has been invaluable in achieving a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities ahead. The Advisory Group has made a number of recommendations to me and these will shape our first National Policy Statement on Textiles. A draft statement will open for public consultation in the coming weeks.
Also this year, in recognition of the need for better data, I commissioned a study on post-consumer textiles in Ireland. A report on that study is due this month.
In 2023, the European Commission proposed the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles. Negotiations are continuing and I expect agreement will be reached soon. In anticipation, my Department hosted a webinar on EPR in July and in November a workshop will help identify key principles of an Irish EPR.
Just last week I launched our first public awareness campaign on textiles, called 'Reverse the Trend'. The social media-focused campaign encourages the young target audience to 'buy less, share and re-wear' and will run until December.
I recognise that we face a number of short and longer term challenges in this sector. Textiles policy has emerged relatively recently as a focus at EU and national level and while substantial policy progress has been made, a lot remains for us to do to prevent waste arising in the first place and to manage post-use textiles responsibly.
Questions Nos. 55 to 57, inclusive, answered orally.
Energy Policy
Questions (58)
Paul Murphy
Question:58. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he supports designating liquefied natural gas infrastructure or data centres as strategic infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41403/24]
View answerWritten answers
I assume the Deputy is referring to strategic infrastructure in the context of the Planning and development bill.
The Seventh and Eighth schedules of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended), already provide for such facilities to be designated as Strategic Infrastructure Development and its maritime equivalent. This is the planning legislation that is currently in force and, as such, any application for planning permission should be directed to An Bord Pleanála in the first instance in accordance with that Act.
The Planning and Development Bill 2023, has recently been approved by both houses of the Oireachtas, includes a technical provision relating to strategic gas infrastructure. This provides for consistency of treatment within the new legislation for onshore and offshore facilities and ensures that the statutory role of the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities in respect of strategic gas infrastructure applies to both. The amendment made in this regard in the Seanad was to prevent any legal uncertainty arising as regards the categorisation of offshore LNG projects in the context of the transfer of planning functions for the foreshore.
I am not aware of any proposals to designate data centres as Strategic Infrastructure Development and they are not currently designated as such under the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended).
Question No. 59 answered orally.
Energy Policy
Questions (60)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:60. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will invoke action 17 of the current energy policy in the Climate Action Plan and enact a policy to ban liquefied natural gas terminals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41443/24]
View answerWritten answers
As set out in the Government’s ‘Policy Statement on the Importation of Fracked Gas' the government does not support the importation of fracked gas. Ireland is committed to halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050. In future, most of our energy needs will be met by renewable energy which will be the anchor of our energy security.
The sole consideration by this Government of Liquified Natural Gas facilities is in the context of energy security. The Government does not support the commercial import of LNG as the development of infrastructure for the commercial import of LNG would be inconsistent with the decarbonisation trajectory established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, as amended.
The Government policy in relation to energy security is set out in 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' report which was approved and published in November 2023. The report determines that Ireland’s natural gas supplies and infrastructure are adequate to meet our demand projections. However, Ireland does not have adequate resilience in case of a major disruption to our sub-sea gas imports pipelines and does not currently meet minimum EU standards in this area.
It is in this context only that a state-led Liquified Gas Facility was recommended in the Report.
A state-led strategic gas emergency reserve, operating on a non-commercial basis for use only in the event of an emergency, would provide resilience to the gas system and mitigate against the major consequences for our society and our economy that would arise from a significant gas supply disruption in Ireland.
As a final element of the energy security review, Gas Networks Ireland are undertaking a detailed analysis of the strategic gas emergency reserve.
In parallel my Department are developing the appropriate policy and legislative measures to ensure the facility provides the resilience to our energy system in a manner that:
does not inadvertently increase gas demand by increasing the supply available on the market;
is compatible with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act and
does not support the Importation of Fracked Gas. www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/135271/3226a65b-c49c-458e-9ab9-83b2d1196af2.pdf#page=null.
Work to conclude the final element of the energy security package is continuing as a matter of priority; however, it requires additional analysis before returning to Government.
One of the issues on which further research and information is necessary, relates to the timeline for introducing such a facility and the timelines within which gas demand may fall to reduce the risk. That has to be examined very closely. We know that, in this decade, we are at risk and are exposed. Given the likelihood that delivery of a strategic gas reserve facility may not happen until early in the next decade, analysis is required as to whether the planned dramatic reduction in gas use, particularly in the electricity generation sector, means that an alternative way to meet the energy security risk might be better. For example, further electricity interconnectors with the UK or France or what is fast-evolving long term storage capability. This further research is something I have asked my Department to look at before going back to the Government and Oireachtas with detailed analysis.