223. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the Climate Action Strategy and supports available to help communities deal with heatwaves, periods of drought and flash floods as a result of the growing threat of climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58001/26]

More frequent and intense storms, longer periods of drought, rising sea levels, heatwaves, floods and coastal change are just some of the impacts of our changing climate to which we must adapt.

The Government is committed to protecting Ireland’s present and future generations with a whole of government approach to Climate Adaptation underpinned by the National Adaptation Framework (NAF), published in 2024, and coordinated by my Department via the National Adaptation Steering Committee (NASC).

Ireland’s first National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA), prepared by the EPA in 2025, was a key deliverable under the NAF. The NCCRA identifies, ranks, and prioritises national climate change risks and areas where action needs to be prioritised to make Ireland more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Under the NAF and informed by the NCCRA and standardised climate data from Met Éireann, 10 Sectoral Adaptation Plans (SAPs) covering 13 key sectors were approved and published by Government in November 2025. The key sectors fall under the remit of 8 Government Ministers, with each Minister responsible for implementing the SAPs under their remit.

One of the 13 sectors is Flood Risk Management, under the remit of the OPW, the lead body for flood risk management in Ireland, and implementation of the Flood Risk Management SAP. The Flood Risk Management SAP sets out a comprehensive analysis of how climate change will impact current flood risk management policies based on the best available data. It aims to mainstream climate adaptation into flood risk management policies as well as into other policy areas such as planning, water infrastructure and nature based solutions. It establishes longer-term adaptation goals and objectives that can also act as a guide for other sectors in managing increased flood risks that are likely to occur as a result of climate change.

All Sectors were required to collaborate on cross-cutting issues and to consult with Local Authority Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs) during SAP development. In addition, 31 Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LACAPs) were published in 2024 which include local adaptation actions to build resilience against flood, heat and drought. Since 2022, approximately €19.7m has been paid to local authorities by my Department to develop and implement their LACAPs.

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.

The Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP), also supported by my Department, empowers communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way. The CCAP has given opportunities to hundreds of groups around the country to access funding for climate measures that directly impact their communities. A number of projects under the programme address periods of drought through the installation of rainwater harvesting and water management systems.

A new Adaptation Taskforce, which I established at the end of last year, provides for senior-level oversight and co-ordination of Ireland’s approach to adaptation including systemic delivery barriers and cross-cutting issues and risks.