The most recent progress report reveals that the Irish government has failed to complete 35% of the tasks outlined in its 2023 climate action plan. This incomplete status indicates an overall delivery rate of 65%, indicating that 188 out of the 290 total initiatives have been finalised.
Significant achievements recorded in the final quarter included the successful expedited rollout of public transportation services in rural areas, and an unprecedented budget allocation for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) retrofit programmes.
In light of this report, a government representative underscored the importance of enhancing project management and addressing all sectors in the upcoming year to fulfil EU carbon emissions reduction obligations. The national governance strategy advocates a 50% reduction in Ireland’s greenhouse gas releases by 2030 and prioritises achieving a net-zero status by 2050 at the latest.
Responding to enquiries about the completion status of the measures under the climate action plan, a spokesperson from the Green Party admitted to certain small, unfinished tasks and system-wide bureaucratic delays. Nevertheless, he observed that the overall emission trend is “highly encouraging”. He reported a 1.9% decline in 2022, and projected a potential further reduction of between 4 and 5% in 2023, even though concrete statistics are yet to be synchronised.
On another issue, Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, obtained Cabinet assent for the introduction of draft laws that will permit companies to conduct general meetings through hybrid or virtual means. The preliminary form of the Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024 also broadens the Corporate Enforcement Authority’s powers to scrutinise economic crime or corruption.
Coveney also presented the draft of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2023 to the Cabinet. This bill, which will undergo pre-legislative examination by the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, seeks to withhold companies from mandating a retirement age that precedes the State pension age unless the employee consents.
Micheál Martin, the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, has secured the go-ahead to officially nominate Lieutenant General Seán Clancy, the Defence Forces’ commanding officer, for election as chair of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC). The EUMC acts as a medium for military discussion and coordination among the EU member countries, especially in crises and conflict prevention.
Presently, a senior military representative from Austria, another neutral nation, presides over the EUMC. The selection of the chair is determined by the EU member states’ defence chiefs through a private ballot. The election will take place on May 15, and the successful nominee will assume their post for a three-year term starting in May 2025.
Should Lieutenant General Clancy be elected as chair, his tenure could coincide with Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council in the latter half of 2026. If this were to happen, he would be assisted by a team of eight to ten Defence Forces members. Once appointed to the EU role, Lieutenant General Clancy would step down from his current position as the Defence Forces’ chief of staff.
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