Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
124. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if additional measures are being considered to help accelerate the transition to a green economy, particularly in light of the ongoing Iran war’s impact on oil prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27654/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to delivering on Ireland’s responsibility to address the climate crisis and work remains ongoing across Government Departments to carry out climate mitigation efforts every day. The rollout of retrofitting, renewable energy deployment, and more affordable electric vehicles continues at pace.
It is important to recognise the progress made by the Irish people, communities and businesses in lowering emissions and the plans and funding in place to support Ireland's continuing transition to an energy self-sufficient carbon neutral thriving economy and society over the next decades. 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.
An important way of insulating our economy and society from fuel price shocks is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Renewable electricity is our energy insurance policy and the foundation upon which we will achieve our regional, national, and international energy and climate targets. Further deployment of renewable electricity generation will have a stabilising effect on the energy costs to homes and businesses, as well as making us more resilient when it comes to disruptions such as extreme weather, economic shocks, and cyberattacks.
Ireland's climate policy, underpinned by Climate Act and the Climate Action Plan, strengthens our long-term energy security and independence by shifting the country away from imported, price-volatile fossil fuels toward indigenous renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
By generating our own power domestically while reducing demand through efficiency measures (like nationwide home retrofitting), our climate policy helps insulate Ireland from international energy market shocks and supply chain disruptions, which fundamentally stabilises long-term affordability for consumers.
Increasing the uptake of heat pumps among homeowners is a top priority for my Department. Retrofitting makes homes more comfortable and cheaper to heat, and we want to support as many households to access the supports available for retrofitting. The updated National Residential Retrofit Plan, which was announced in January 2026, includes new and enhanced measures, has made retrofitting supports more accessible to households
We are also making significant strides toward our target of 80% renewable energy by 2030, having now reached the major milestone of 8GW onshore renewable electricity generation. Government is now prioritising the development of our offshore wind capacity. We have doubled our wind energy capacity over the past 10 years, and in February wind energy provided a record 50% of our electricity. The milestone of over 2GW of installed solar capacity was achieved in November 2025 and is now at 2.4GW. Solar has increased from zero to replace coal as the third highest source of indigenous generation in under 10 years.
The Government has approved an unprecedented investment of €18.9 billion in Grid for the period 2026 – 2030 which is fundamental to the electrification of homes, businesses and transport. The 2025 ZEVI target for electrical vehicle sales of 195,000 was surpassed in October 2025, with sales now at 212,000. All of these measures accelerate our shift away from volatile fossil fuel markets.
The ongoing transition to a climate-neutral economy has profound implications for our economy and society. In formulating the next Climate Action Plan, the Government will carefully consider a wide range of factors to ensure the approach is ambitious, feasible, and sustainable. It is vital that our climate policies and emissions reduction pathways deliver the best possible value for money while maximising the net benefits to society. We must protect the long-term competitiveness of our economy, maintain the State’s attractiveness for investment, and maximise employment opportunities while ensuring a just transition that supports communities right across the country.
