COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC REALM AND CLIMATE CHANGE SPC

Monday, September 03, 2018

HEADED ITEM NO.6

HEADED ITEM: M. Maguire

Climate Change Update

REPLY:

On 19th January 2018 the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Denis Naughten T.D., published Ireland’s first statutory National Adaptation Framework and announced funding of €10m to establish Local Authority Climate Action Regional Offices (CARO). There will be four offices, one in Dublin for the four Dublin Authorities, one in Kildare for the midlands region, and Mayo and Cork for the Atlantic Region North and South respectively. The Dublin Metropolitan Climate Action Regional Office has completed some of the recruitment process; the Senior Engineer (or analogous) competition has been completed. The interviews for the Grade 6 Administration position has also taken place.

A training workshop for the new CARO staff and Local Authority Staff will occur in September, looking at the Revised Local Authority Adaptation Strategy Development Guidelines and the process ahead.

Work on the SDCC Draft Climate Action Plan continues in parallel to the establishment of the Climate Action Regional Office.

The current schedule for the plan is as follows:

• Late August all 4 plans will be sent to Dr Barry O Dwyer in MAREI to peer review against the new draft guidelines from the EPA (due out in Oct)
• A final draft of the plan will be sent to the management team in mid September with a list of issues that may need to be addressed
• When the issues have been addressed we will then make any final adjustments and look for sign off mid October
• Scoping for SEA/AA in October
• Presented to the SPC in November
• Presented to the full council in December
• If the Draft Plan is adopted - Public engagement will be in late January 

A further development, as part of the general public engagement and as an initiative to raise Climate Change and Climate Action as a local issue there will be a "National Dialogue on Climate Action – Local Gatherings" across the country. There has already been one in Athlone and this continue to be rolled out across the country. The Local Authorities, the CARO offices and the EPA will work together to rollout these events, and seek input into Climate Action from local communities and elected members.