Climate Change Policy

Wednesday, 25 February 2026

Ceisteanna (242)

Ciarán Ahern

Ceist:

242. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Health to provide details of all occasions in which she or her predecessors exercised the power conferred on them under Section 15(3) of the Climate Action & Low Carbon Development Act (2015), which states that ‘the relevant Minister may, from time to time, give a direction to a relevant body requiring it to adopt such measures as are specified in the direction for the purposes of compliance by the relevant body with subsection (1)’; to provide the details of the direction given in all cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15245/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health

Ireland has adopted a number of legislative mechanisms to enable the State to achieve our climate objectives. These include emission-reduction targets for a range of sectors, along with broader whole-of-Government actions under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate to lead by example.

While the health sector does not have a sectoral emission reduction target, my Department and the bodies under its aegis have a range of commitments under the Climate Action Mandate in respect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency.

In addition, the HSE has undertaken a range of additional adaptation and mitigation commitments under its Climate Action Strategy 2023-2050.

As my Department and the bodies under its aegis have been proceeding in line with these obligations, I have not had cause to exercise the power referred to by the Deputy.