Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
277. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an update on the items identified in the Climate Action Plan that his Department indicated in its Annual Report 2024 where there has not been significant progress; and the reasons as to why this is the case and what measures have been taken this year to address these delays. [73358/25]
View answerThis Government is committed to delivering the measures and actions so that Ireland plays its part to address the climate crisis. Significant progress is being made with Ireland’s GHG emissions now at their lowest level in 35 years.
To track implementation of Climate Action Plans (CAP), the Department of the Taoiseach works with the implementing Departments to publish quarterly progress reports. Details on every action due in that quarter is published as an Appendix to each report. Legacy actions from previous CAPs are also included.
These are all available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/publications/climate-action-plan-progress-reports/
Work continues in 2025 on all high-impact legacy (delayed) actions identified in previous CAPs. These actions will continue to be monitored and included in reporting until complete. There were 28 actions reported on under my Department which were not completed in 2024 from CA23 and CAP24. Of these, 5 actions were completed by Q3 2025 with 23 outstanding. These will be reported in future progress reports.
While every effort is made to complete legacy actions in a timely manner the complexity, resources required, and cross cutting nature of many of these actions resulted in the high ambition of original delivery timeframes being delayed.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to strengthen the delivery structures to deliver the Climate Action Plan through the Climate Action Delivery Board.
As part of updated governance arrangements, as Minister, I now chair the Climate Action Delivery Board. This reflects the Government’s wider commitment to ensuring that governance structures evolve in line with the move into the implementation and delivery phase of the climate action agenda.
The Programme for Government also resolved to enhance and improve governance structures to deliver Climate Action. In line with this, and to provide enhanced and co-ordinated oversight and strategic direction on the delivery of the Climate Action Plan, the Climate Action Plan Programme Board (CAPPB) has been established. The Programme Board is made up of climate Delivery Taskforces from across sectors to bring an overall cohesion and alignment to climate action.
