Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
87. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when the Community Climate Action Fund allocations for 2026 will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32443/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP), funded through the Climate Action Fund, supports and empowers communities, in partnership with their Local Authority, to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way and thereby contribute to national climate and energy targets.
The diverse initiatives made possible by the CCAP include the development of community gardens and composting systems, as well as the installation of renewable energy systems, EV chargers, bike racks, water refill stations, lighting upgrades, and rainwater harvesting systems around the country.
Between 2023 and 2026, €24 million has been provided to 650 individual projects and the fund has been utilised to directly support each local authority to engage a dedicated Community Climate Action Officer (CCAO), to facilitate the community groups. Further support has been provided to 40 cross-border projects with the addition of €3 million from the Shared Island Fund and, in October 2025, a second phase was launched, with €26.9 million committed to projects and to retain the CCAOs to the end of the programme (in 2027), with the Climate Action Fund as a whole supporting over 700 innovating and emissions reducing projects in the State.
The projects proposed by the local authorities for the next phase of the CCAP have been received by officials in my Department. The assessment of submitted project portfolios has now been completed, and the outcome is currently progressing through the necessary approval stages within my Department.
Progressing this programme remains a priority, and the work is ongoing to bring the approval process to a conclusion as quickly as possible. While this process is ongoing, I am not in a position to confirm outcomes yet, however, the final decisions will be communicated shortly.
