Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
102. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will provide details of projects approved from the €500 million allocated to his Department to support climate mitigation and renewable energy development as part of the €3.15 billion of the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27090/26]
View answerAs set out in my Department's NDP Sectoral Capital Plan, my Department will provide up to €5.64 billion in capital funding between 2026 and 2030 for investments in essential infrastructure to support the wider economy. This will include:-
the delivery of secure and sustainable supplies of energy;
• a robust system for the regulation of Ireland’s energy markets and infrastructure; and
• the protection of Ireland’s environment and reducing Ireland’s carbon emissions.
Within this overall NDP allocation, my Department has been allocated €500 million from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund (ICNF) to fund projects and programmes that will support the Department's climate mitigation and renewable energy objectives.
I have designated the following programmes for which my Department has responsibility to receive funding from the ICNF:
• Offshore Site Surveying Programme;
• National Biomethane Programme;
• District Heating Infrastructure; and
• Public Sector Pathfinder Programme.
The Offshore Site Surveying Programme forms a key part of the Government’s commitment to fast-track offshore wind development through prioritising DMAPs and resourcing key agencies to accelerate development.
A combination of capital grants and the introduction of the Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) has been agreed by Government to put Ireland on a trajectory to meeting the 5.7TWh target by 2030 of indigenously produced biomethane.
The Government will provide capital support for the development of district heating projects between 2026 to 2030. The scheme to support district heating projects is called the Support Scheme for District Heat (SSDH) and will be open for project applications at the end of this year.
The Public Sector Pathfinder programme operated by SEAI on behalf of my Department supports capital retrofit projects in the public sector. For 2026, €21m in capital funding has been allocated to the Public Sector Pathfinder Programme from the ICNF, with further funding to be sourced from the Climate Action Fund.
