227. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on Ireland’s policy priorities ahead of COP31 and Ireland’s position leading negotiations for the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58492/26]

My Department is actively preparing for COP31 in Antalya which will be one of the biggest international events of Ireland’s Presidency and where the Ireland will be tasked with leading negotiations on behalf of the EU.

In preparation for this, my officials are working closely the Commission and the Council Secretariat to ensure that we set strong foundations for COP 31 this November. A key aspect of this collaboration includes efforts to make the EU’s approach to COP 31 and climate diplomacy in general more strategic and outcomes focused.

My officials and I will be conducting outreach to key international partners from now until COP31, hearing from them their priorities for Antalya and seeking to find areas of possible convergence. I have recently returned from attending the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York, where I had the opportunity to meet with a number of key international climate partners. I look forward to continuing this engagement in advance of COP31.

My officials and I are currently engaging closely with our EU colleagues to identify the EU's negotiation priorities and prepare its mandate for negotiations, through the preparation of Council Conclusions on Preparations for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (Antalya, Türkiye, 9 – 20 November 2026). I will seek the approval of the Environment Council for these Council Conclusions on the 11 October.