Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
153. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps he is taking to make Ireland more resilient to climate change; the reason progress has been so slow (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26174/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe World Meteorological Organisation has confirmed that we have just experienced the eleven hottest years on record. The ICARUS Climate Research Centre has concluded that climate change made the floods experienced at the beginning of this year almost three times more likely to occur. More frequent and intense storms, rising sea levels and coastal change are just some of the impacts of our changing climate for which we must build resilience in Ireland.
Government is committed to protecting Ireland’s present and future generations with a whole of government approach to Climate Adaptation underpinned by the National Adaptation Framework (NAF). Under the NAF, and Guidelines to sectors published by my Department, a new suite of Sectoral Adaptation Plans (SAPs) have been developed.
The development of the SAPs, covering 13 key sectors, were informed by the 2025 National Climate Change Risk Assessment and standardised climate data from Met Éireann. Sectors were required to collaborate with each other and with Climate Action Regional Offices during SAP development to assist with alignment on cross-cutting issues including coastal impacts, the built environment, urban environment, health impacts, and disaster risk reduction to holistically address the priority risks for Ireland of extreme wind, coastal erosion, flooding, and heat as identified in the NCCRA. The SAPs contain measurable actions to improve the resilience of those sectors over the next five years and were approved by Government in November last year and have now moved to implementation phase.
To enhance high-level support for adaptation governance across Government, a new senior-level Adaptation Taskforce will monitor the overall delivery of actions, address cross-cutting issues and risk ownership, and ultimately accelerate progress. The Taskforce reports to the Climate Action Programme and Delivery Board which I chair.
As part of ongoing engagement between my officials and the CCAC, the CCAC has agreed to attend the next Adaptation Taskforce meeting to discuss their recommendations and progress with senior representatives from the SAP sectoral Departments.
