COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 14, 2015

QUESTION NO.9

QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the Council's work in the area of climate change; specifically, but not exclusively, in terms of the climate change adaptation strategy, and in energy saving and use of renewable sources by the Council, and promotion of these within the County; and to make a statement on the matter.

REPLY:

On the 3rd of December 2015 the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 was passed by both Dáil and Seanad Éireann, The Bill is being referred to the President for signature and early enactment.

The Climate Bill provides a statutory basis for the national objective of transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by the year 2050.  Among the key provisions of the Bill are the preparation and adoption of successive 5-yearly National Mitigation Plans which will specify the policy measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland; and successive 5-yearly National Adaptation Frameworks which will specify the national strategy for the application of adaptation measures in different sectors and by local authorities to adapt to the effects of climate change in Ireland.

SDCC in conjunction with the EPA has hosted a number of workshops on Climate Change Adaptation Plans and recommended changes and agreed the information collated for the Adaptation Strategy. At EU level a performance indicator type Climate Change Adaptation Scorecard is being developed. It is envisaged that Ireland’s performance will be commented on in 2017 based on 2016 data. 

A presentation on Climate Change Adaptation Measures was given to the Environment SPC in November which focused on the following:

Step 1 Forming an Adaptation Team & preparing the ground

Step 2 Assessing the Current Adaptation Baseline

Step 3 Assessing Future Climate Risk

Step 4 Identifying, Assessing & Prioritising Adaptation Risks

Step 5 Developing an Adaptation Pathways Map & Drafting the Strategy

Step 6 Mainstreaming, Monitoring & Reviewing

Next Steps following enactment of the Bill were discussed.

In line with all other Local Authorities, South Dublin County Council is required to achieve 30% energy savings by 2020 under the natural Energy Efficiency Action Plan. To this end the Council has participated in Energy Management Action Plan (MAP) training by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. All the Council’s major buildings are linked to the SEAI database who issue an annual evaluation of the Council’s performance towards its 2020 targets.   The 2014 annual review confirmed that:-

SEAI in its first annual report on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance places South Dublin Council in its Group 1 with an energy consumption of greater than 50gh/hr. and demonstrative savings of 20%.

South Dublin continues to audit its buildings – including libraries, swimming pools, County Hall and stadium – to achieve ongoing savings in energy and cost. The Council has an ongoing scheme of fabric upgrade of its housing stock funded by DECLG. This programme has increased its numbers year on year and in 2015, 700 Council dwellings were upgraded. South Dublin is a signatory of the Covenant of Mayors and has a 5 Year Sustainable Energy Action Plan in position. As well as energy efficiency this plan requires the promotion of renewable energy in the County. South Dublin Council continues to develop these systems through the use of heat-pumps (Valhalla, Ballyroan Library), Solar Thermal (Valhalla, Rua Red), Solar PV (Valhalla and now 50Kw on the roof of County Hall). The Council is preparing a bid under the Smart Communities element of Horizon 2020 with the Micro Energy-Generation Association, MEGA, which would, if successful, deliver a district energy/heating network for Tallaght as well as a range of other renewable initiatives. The bid must be submitted by April 2016.