Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
59. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an update on Ireland's progress towards meeting its legally binding carbon budgets, in view of the Environmental Protection Agency's confirmation of a 2% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 following a 6.8% reduction in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72845/25]
View answerThe Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) most recent emissions inventory report Ireland's Provisional Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2024, published in July of this year, confirms that Ireland has recorded overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions for a third consecutive year, with a decrease of 6.8% in 2023 followed by a further 2% reduction in 2024.
Ireland now has the lowest level of GHG emissions in 35 years which is notable given concurrent demographic and economic growth, including an increase of approximately 1.5 million people, more than one million new homes and over one million extra vehicles on our roads.
Our momentum in emissions reductions reflects the progress we are making to deliver key measures across sectors, for example:
• the 2025 target for electric vehicles sales of 195,000 was surpassed in October;
• the milestone of over 2 gigawatts of installed solar capacity was achieved in November;
• the very positive results of the offshore wind auction for the Tonn Nua site in November, which will produce enough energy to power almost one million homes; and
• Government has approved an unprecedented investment of €18 billion in Grid for the period 2026 – 2030 which is fundamental to the electrification of homes, businesses and transport.
However, the EPA's latest projections report Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections 2024-2055, published in May of this year, shows that even more accelerated reductions are required. To address the gap, we will need to significantly ramp up the delivery of climate action across sectors. In line with the Programme for Government commitment enhanced governance arrangements to accelerate delivery have been put in place this year to streamline structures, ensure key strategic high impact measures are enabled and that corrective action is taken on critical actions which are at risk.
I now chair the Climate Action Delivery Board (CADB), bringing all the relevant Secretaries General together, with a focus on accelerated implementation,. The Board met earlier this month. The Climate Action Programme Board (CAPPB) has also been established to provide co-ordinated oversight and strategic direction on the delivery of the Climate Action Plan, at Assistant Secretary/Taskforce chair level, and has met 3 times to date.
The CAPPB brings together the chairs of the various climate delivery taskforces from across sectors to bring an overall cohesion and alignment to climate action, and to provide oversight and support to taskforces in delivering their work programmes. It assesses progress on delivery, monitors risks, and proposes corrective actions for underperforming or at-risk actions and deliverables, including delivery of With Existing Measures (WEM) and With Accelerated Measures (WAM) measures. Implementation is my focus, and I will continue to push for a greater achievement of our highest impact measures.
