Galway decarbonisation zone approval
Deputy Connolly complained that Galway City's decarbonisation zone application had been left waiting for approval. The Minister said he would follow up and revert on the timetable for the missing guidelines.
My question is very specific in relation to decarbonisation zones. This was action 165 under the climate action plan. A message went out to all the local authorities to identify an area. I understand 29 out of 31 local authorities have responded, including Galway City Council. It did everything right. It submitted the application. It identified the west side as a decarbonization zone. Yet, almost a year later, the application sits in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with no approval having been given. I am told by the Department that it is awaiting guidelines from the Minister, so I am delighted that he is answering this question. When will the guidelines be published? Furthermore, I am really worried not just about this delay, but about the further delays that there might be, as they are dependent on the action plans which each local authority has to produce. That is sometime in the far, distant future.
Comment on this
I will follow up on the specifics of that. I do not have specific timeline here. I will return to my Department and revert to the Deputy as soon as possible about when those guidelines can be delivered. I want to make sure that we act and deliver at that local level. I will come back to the Deputy as fast as I can.