Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 July 2026
198. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide a detailed breakdown of the funding allocated to support climate action regional offices, LA CAPS and EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and Decarbonizing Zones respectively in each year from 2020 to date, in tabular form. [50406/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal authorities are increasingly at the forefront of climate action in Ireland. A number of local authority climate action work programmes are being funded by my Department. This funding underpins the continued commitment of Government to local climate action and recognises the key role of local authorities in supporting communities as we transition to a climate neutral economy.
My Department provides €5.8m in annual funding to local authorities to develop and implement their statutory Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs). This funding provides for two climate posts in each local authority, a Climate Action Coordinator and Climate Action Officer, to develop and oversee the plans.
€2m in annual funding is provided to the four Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs) which support local authorities to coordinate and deliver climate actions. The CARO annual budget increased from €2m to €2.4m in 2026 to allow for increased project costs.
My Department works with Cork City and Dublin City on the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, and Galway City on the EU Pilot Cities Programme. This Mission aims to make over 100 European cities climate neutral by 2030. €740,000 was paid to Cork and Dublin as "Mission" Cities in 2025 to fund resilience and adaptation projects, while €30,000 was paid to Galway to continue operating the Warm Home Hub pilot project. My Department is also developing a new Cities Mission Accelerator Fund of €2m to further support the "Mission" cities which officials will present to me shortly for approval.
My Department has recently established a new national fund of €1.8m in 2026 to assist local authorities to deliver projects within their DZs, the DZ Demonstrator Fund. For the first time, this fund provides local authorities with ringfenced funding to advance projects within their DZs.
My Department provides €500,000 in annual funding to the Eastern and Midlands Climate Action Regional Office to deliver the Local Authority Climate Action Training Programme. This programme has been designed to increase understanding of climate change and the need for action among local authority staff and elected members.
In addition, a new €2.5m European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) DZ Scheme has been set up for local authorities in the Northern and Western region, and my Department is committing €1m of this funding.
A call is underway under the EU Just Transition Fund: START (Supporting a Sustainable Transition through Climate Action for a Resilient Territory Scheme). Local authorities across the eight eligible counties of the Wider Midlands Region had the opportunity to apply for funding for capital projects and feasibility studies outlined in their LA CAPs, with a total fund value of €30m. This scheme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Commission, with each providing 50%.
The table attached provides a breakdown of the funding drawn down to support the Local Authority Climate Action Plans, the Climate Action Regional Office, the Local Authority Climate Action Training Programme, the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, the Decarbonizing Zones, and the START Scheme in each year from 2020 to date (2025). It also includes a breakdown of the funding which has been allocated in 2026.
Finally, in June 2026, my Department received a business case from the County and City Management Association (CCMA) requesting that provision be made for the existing 110 climate posts in local authorities to become permanent posts. I support this in principle and officials in my Department are currently reviewing the business case with a view to presenting a submission to me.
