Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
111. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the key measures taken on climate action during 2025; his priorities for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73129/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to delivering measures and actions to achieve Ireland’s national and EU targets and ultimately climate neutrality by 2050. The Environmental Protection Agency's recent reporting confirms that Ireland’s overall GHG emissions reduced for a third consecutive year, and are now at their lowest level in 35 years.
Under the Climate Action Plan 2025 (CAP), and previous CAPs, there is an extensive programme of policies and measures that aim to achieve significant progress towards emission reductions with notable progress as follows:
• Ireland currently has 7.7 GW of renewable generation capacity. New records were broken in 2025 as Ireland reached 7 GW of renewable generation, 5 GW of wind generation, and 2 GW of solar PV generation for the first time. Renewables provided 41.1% of our electricity demand in 2024.
• On solar, 155,000 homes received grants to install rooftop solar, and free solar panels have been provided to 2,000 schools across Ireland to date.
• To end November this year, over 52,416 upgrades have been completed across SEAI’s residential and community energy upgrade schemes representing sustained and significant increases on the same period in each year since 2020.
• Private wires legislation is advancing to facilitate private sector investment in the grid and in renewable energy.
In 2026, progress will continue supported by:
• The Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT), led by me as Minister and including 16 Government Departments and State Agencies, will work together to deliver our offshore ambitions.
• Extensive grid investment overseen by the CRU, projected at almost €19 billion for the 2026-2030 period, will support the renewables led energy transformation.
• Budget 2026 includes a record capital allocation of €558 million from carbon tax revenue for the SEAI residential and community energy upgrade schemes. This is an €89 million increase on the corresponding Budget 2025 allocation. This funding is expected to be further supplemented with additional funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
• The governance arrangements for the Climate Action Plan Programme Board will continue to be strengthened.
