eolas Issue 57

Informing Ireland’s decision-makers...

A golden thread Dublin Bus’s Billy Hann Minister Eamon Ryan

Dublin Rape Crisis

Seanad

TD discusses the

Centre CEO

Cathaoirleach

Government’s efforts

Noeline Blackwell

Jerry Buttimer

to decarbonise the

on the epidemic

talks enhanced

Irish economy

of sexual violence

parliamentary

in Ireland

democracy

issue 57 May 23

Environment and climate • Cost rental housing • Regional focus: County Leitrim • Hydrogen

€4.95

PUBLIC SERVICES 2023

Date for your diary

Tuesday 23rd May ● The Gibson Hotel, Dublin

Since the launch of Our Public Service 2020 in December 2017 there has been huge progress in the key areas of promoting innovation, digitalising services and improving the development of people and workforce planning. There are currently 370,000 public servants working across different sectors in Ireland, all working to deliver better, more effective services. In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic sharply brought into focus the need for public service organisations to be responsive, resilient and agile. Ireland’s public services responded well and quickly to change the way they work to deliver services and meet the needs of citizens. In 2023, we are now beyond simply embedding innovation within organisations, with the new focus now on scaling up public service transformation. This conference will bring together key stakeholders from across Ireland to look ahead to what’s next and how we can collaborate to transform our public services.

Speakers include:

Key themes include:

Marianne Cassidy, Assistant Secretary, Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform

3 The next phase of transformation: What does the future look like?

3 Designing public services for the digital age – Digital

by Default;

3 Reimagining public services: Putting service design

Caitriona Heffernan, HSE Spark Innovation Lead, Cork University Maternity Hospital

3 Engaging with the service user – becoming citizen-

Aline Muylaert, Co-Founder CitizenLab

at the centre; centric;

3 The delivery of healthcare in Ireland; 3 Integrating innovation into operational and strategic

Siobhán McKenna, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Public Appointments Service

planning;

3 Building resilience into our public service 3 Diversity and inclusion: The workforce of the future; 3 All change: planning for the future mobile

Tony Shannon, Head of Digital Services, Office of Government Chief Information Officer Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform

workforce;

3 Shared services across Ireland’s public services; 3 Looking at the realities of automation and technology enabled solutions;

Frances McGinnity, Associate Research Professor, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)

3 Sectoral update: health; justice; education; local government;

3 Best practice case studies.

Louise McEntee, Partner Deloitte

Carmel O’Hare, Acting Director of Corporate Services Monaghan County Council

Bernie Kelly, Assistant Secretary, Head of Financial Management Shared Services National Shared Services Office

Paul Morrin, Assistant Director General, Central Statistics Office

organisations;

Mary Hurley, Secretary General, Department of Rural and Community Development

Denise Kennedy, Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Aideen Hartney, Director National Disability Authority

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Contents Digital

Events

Print

18

12 04 08

78

Matters arising

58

140 77

Regional focus: Leitrim County Council

Issues

78

08 12

82

OREDP II: Towards an enduring energy regime Cover story: Dublin Bus’s CEO Billy Hann

18

Round table discussion: Enhancing the resilience of Ireland's critical infrastructure

29

Environment and climate 30 36 50

52

Minister Eamon Ryan TD: Decarbonising the economy CAP23 actions The European Environment Agency’s Brian MacSharry on tackling the biodiversity crisis Environmental spending: State-heavy investment

88

104 116 117 126

62 72

Minister Darragh O’Brien TD outlines measures to speed up delivery Cost rental at scale A European perspective

Environment and climate sponsored by

Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan: Solidarity with Palestine

144 Public affairs 144 150 154 156

Round table discussion hosted by

A national hydrogen strategy Hydrogen and Climate Action Plan 2023 DCU’s James Carton: Power-to-X The Scottish Government’s Katy McNeil sets out lessons from Scotland’s H2 journey

140 Europe

Delivering cost rental housing 58

Leitrim County Council Chief Executive Lar Power on county development Chamber of Commerce President Colm McGrath discusses Carrick commerce The Dock’s Sarah Searson: Leitrim’s cultural landscape

103 Hydrogen

140

57

154

Seanad Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer: Enhancing parliamentary democracy In focus: Joint Committee on Justice Political Platform: Mary Butler TD DRCC’s Noeline Blackwell on addressing an epidemic of sexual violence

Delivering cost rental housing sponsored by

Hydrogen sponsored by

Public Procurement Conference 2023 Thursday 14 June 2023 • Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin Airport

Sponsored by

An eolas event

Digital

Events

Print

The Irish State spends approximately 18.5 billion every year on goods, services and works. Of this spending, 92 per cent remains in Ireland and 50 per cent is spent with SMEs. Across the EU, public procurement represents a significant proportion of total procurement. The Public Procurement Conference 2023 will once again bring together key stakeholders from across the Irish procurement sector to discuss the latest developments and their implications for your procurement strategy.

Speakers include: Paul Quinn Chief Procurement Officer Office of Government Procurement Ireland Edward Green Deputy Director of Commercial Policy International and Reform Cabinet Office UK Ursula Tebbet-Duffin Senior Policy Advisor – International Agreements, International and Reform Team, Commercial Policy Cabinet Office UK

Barrister specialising in public procurement law King's Inns Alistair Kerr Director and Chair The British Association for Supported Employment Scotland Network Julie O’Sullivan Head of Commercial Procurement Services Education Authority Northern Ireland

John Swords National Director of Procurement Health Service Executive

Jackie Fowler Procurement Officer, Central Procurement Unit Fingal County Council

Úna Butler Member, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC)

Ceara McBride Head of Procurement and Materials Bus Éireann

Key issues examined include: 4

Policy update

4

Green public procurement

4

European public procurement

4

Collaborative procurement across public services

4

Best practice local government procurement

4

Social procurement

4

Procurement across the health sector

4

The challenge of digital procurement

4

Attaining social and economic benefit from public purchasing

4

Best practice: Case studies from outside Ireland

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eolas Issue 57 May 2023 Digital

Events

Print

Editorial Ciarán Galway, Editor ciaran.galway@eolasmagazine.ie

A tale of two cities...

Odrán Waldron, Deputy Editor odran.waldron@eolasmagazine.ie

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” so wrote Charles Dickens of the dichotomous climate which shrouded France on the eve of its revolution. A similar dichotomy transpired during the visit of US President Joe Biden to Ireland in April 2023.

David Whelan david.whelan@eolasmagazine.ie

In Belfast, the beginning of the visit was dampened by unionist vilification – “Joe Biden hates the UK, there is no doubt about that,” simpered erstwhile First Minister Arlene Foster. In Dublin (and indeed Carlingford, Dundalk, Knock, and Ballina), however, the inverse was true; he was welcomed as a reincarnation of JFK – to the extent that an adoring press could, with some justification, be accused of having cast off its critical lens with gay abandon.

Joshua Murray joshua.murray@eolasmagazine.ie

Across the Irish Sea, meanwhile, acolytes of the right-leaning British press embarrassed themselves with cascading columns of overt contempt, crowned with a Punch-esque portrayal of teetotal Biden as a stout swilling leipreachán. Seanscéal agus meirg air.

In truth, Biden’s visit swung wildly from cringe inducing caricatures – including a puzzling reference to the Irish rugby team’s victory over ‘the Black and Tans’ – to endearing moments of profound reflection – including a tearful chance encounter with the priest who performed the last rites on Beau Biden. “Tá mé sa bhaile,” the exiled son told a joint sitting of the Houses of the Oireachtas on the penultimate day of his deeply personal pilgrimage.

Against the backdrop of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it was an opportunity to reflect on the continued interest and, indeed, active involvement of Irish America – Democrat and Republican alike – in our nation’s future. As memories of mass exodus to the United States fade, and the Irish American generations grow further from their ancestral homeland, the remarkable hold of Ireland over the imagination of the most powerful nation in the world is still something to behold, much to chagrin of some of our nearest neighbours.

In our cover story interview, Dublin Bus CEO Billy Hann discusses the golden thread his organisation weaves through the socioeconomic fabric of life of Dublin city and looks ahead to the future of decarbonised transport in Ireland with plans to electrify the bus fleet.

Containing specific reports on the environment and climate; cost rental housing; hydrogen; and a regional focus on County Leitrim, this issue of eolas Magazine is replete with analysis of the most embedded challenges and innovative opportunities facing the State. Interviewees and contributors include: DECC Minister Eamon Ryan TD; Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD; Seanad Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer; Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan; and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s Noeline Blackwell.

Ciarán Galway

www.eolasmagazine.ie

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matters arising

Credit: Merrion Street

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Biden in Ireland: ‘Tá mé sa bhaile’ April 2023 saw Ireland play host to the President of the United States, Joe Biden. Biden began his trip in the North, where he made a speech hailing the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement at Ulster University in Belfast. He also met with the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak MP.

the peace process in the North. Biden also called on the UK Government to “work more closely” with the Irish Government regarding the North. The address made Biden the fourth US President to address the Oireachtas, following John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton.

After spending half-a-day in the North, Biden then flew on Air Force One from Belfast to Dublin. In Dublin, he then addressed a joint sitting of the Oireachtas, where he exclaimed, as Gaeilge, that he was home.

On the final day of his trip, the US President visited Ballina, County Mayo, where he has ancestral roots. Calling himself, “Mayo Joe, son of Ballina”, Biden finished his engagement on a high, exiting to a rousing set of cheers when he concluded, exclaiming: “Mayo for Sam [Maguire]”.

He further spoke of his pride in his Irish roots and support for

Credit: Queen’s University Belfast/Press Eye.

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Whilst the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement has been widely celebrated, there is a growing consensus in favour of reforming the agreement.

Speaking at an event at Queen’s University Belfast, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD said: “No agreement can be set in stone forever, but [reform] can only be achieved when an Executive is back up and running.”

Bertie Ahern, who negotiated the agreement as Taoiseach, echoed Varadkar’s words, and further lamented “politicians who have let us down” in the North.

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eolas matters

Belfast Agreement anniversary: Growing consensus for reform The celebratory events were held amid of a backdrop of the DUP – which has opposed the Good Friday Agreement since its signing – currently boycotting the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Sinn Féin leader and leader of the opposition, Mary Lou McDonald TD, said: “Political leaders now owe it to a new generation to recapture the spirit and determination of 1998.

We owe it to our children to overcome our differences and to make progress happen.”

matters arising

HOUSING

Government: ‘Eviction ban did not end homelessness’ In March 2023, the Government announced it would formally end its eviction ban which had been in place over the winter period, despite figures showing record levels of homelessness.

The Government has rationalised that since homelessness was still increasing through the duration of the ban, the evictions ban was not contributing enough for it to remain as a policy, with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien TD having told the Cabinet that the ban “has not had the impact of

reducing homelessness numbers”. There was further concern raised by the Government at the prospect of landlords leaving the housing market.

The most recent homeless figures from the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage show there to be 11,742 homeless people in the State as of March 2023. This is 12 less than was recorded for February, the highest in the history of the State.

HOUSING

One stop shop retrofit uplift The launch of one stop shops has helped the Government in significantly increasing its number of retrofitted homes in 2022, the SEAI National Retrofit Report has found.

With 12 one stop shops registered in 2022, over 50,000 retrofit applications were processed representing a 140 per cent increase on the 2021 figures. Additionally, the amount of capital expenditure was €188 million (up 90 per cent year on year). As a result, there were 27,199 home energy upgrades carried out in 2022, up 78 per cent from 2021.

The National Retrofit Report further states that there were 8,481 BER B2 upgrades completed in 2022, up 95 per cent from 2021, and 4,438 fully funded energy upgrades for lowincome households, which is 85 per cent up from 2021.

Encouragingly, it is estimated that 40.27 ktCO2 emissions were saved, demonstrating the potential success if the Government’s retrofit ambitions are to be met.

eolas matters

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matters arising

ENERGY

Ryan elected as co-chair of the IEA Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, has been elected as co-chair of the International Energy Agency (IEA) for 2024.

The IEA is a leading intergovernmental organisation, providing policy recommendations, analysis, and data on the global energy sector to its 31 member countries and 11 association countries.

Minister Ryan will serve alongside his French counterpart, Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher. In the role, the duo will co-chair the 2024 IEA Ministerial in Paris, alongside four vice-chairs.

The next IEA meeting will be significant as it will follow COP28, marking the conclusion of the first ‘Global Stocktake’ of the world’s progress against its climate goals since the Paris Agreement.

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Directly elected Mayor of Limerick legislation The Government is aiming to pass legislation before the summer recess which would provide for an elected Mayor of Limerick, who would hold executive power.

In the summer legislative programme, the Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill is listed as a priority item for the Government, with the heads of the bill having been approved in April 2021, and pre-legislative scrutiny already taken place.

6

eolas matters

Limerick would become the first county or city of Ireland to have a directly elected executive mayor. Elected mayors have not been a feature in Irish democracy since the foundation of the State, but are significant in neighbouring countries such as England and France. In France, there are over 26,000 locally elected mayors with executive powers over their towns, whilst in England there are elected mayors for regions such as the West Midlands, as well as cities such as Greater Manchester, and London.

matters arising

ECONOMY

Ireland’s budget surplus among the best in Europe Ireland’s budget surplus of €8 billion in 2022 was the third best relative budget surplus in the EU, after Denmark and Cyprus.

Although the State’s finances are on a sustainable footing, there will be questions for the Government about what to do with these relative riches, with pressure being exerted from the Government’s left for more social spending programmes.

Credit: RTÉ

This is measured by comparing the size of a member state’s budget surplus with the size of the economy of the state. The IMF has projected that Ireland will continue to run a budget surplus until at least 2025, with potential added benefits to be felt by a strong level of continued growth.

These positive ramifications are being felt for all of the State’s finances, with Ireland now enjoying one of the lowest sovereign debt-GDP ratios in the EU at a net level of 50.4 per cent. The UK, for example, has a debtGDP ratio of 84.3 per cent.

P U B L I C A F FA I R S

Kevin Bakhurst appointed RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst has been announced as the new Director General of RTÉ, and will take charge on 10 July 2023.

Bakhurst, a Cambridge graduate, was born in the UK, and began his career with the BBC. He was on the BBC's London Olympics 2012 committee, which was responsible for co-ordinating the BBC's coverage of the London Olympics. He also worked as controller of the BBC News Channel and was deputy head of the BBC Newsroom between 2010 and 2012.

In 2012, Bakhurst moved to Ireland where he was appointed Managing Director of news and current affairs at RTÉ. He remained in that position until 2016, during which time he also became as deputy Director General.

Congratulating Bakhurst, Minister for Media Catherine Martin TD said: “Mr Bakhurst will take over this role at an important and challenging time for RTÉ. He has a proven track record of leadership at the highest levels and will bring a wealth of experience to the role.”

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issues eolas

Towards an enduring offshore regime

Following the conclusion of its public consultation, the second Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP II) is set to take Ireland a step closer towards an enduring regime for offshore renewables.

Ireland’s new national spatial strategy for offshore renewable energy (OREDP II) has been touted as a cornerstone of a future, long-term model for Ireland's offshore renewable energy sector.

The enduring regime envisaged by Energy Minister Eamon Ryan TD comprises a much broader utilisation of offshore renewables into policy ambitions around hydrogen, interconnection, and the economy, but 8

eolas issues

OREDP II is focused on an earlier stage of ensuring the right technology is deployed in the right areas.

The Programme for Government delivered a commitment to developing a long-term plan to take advantage of a potential 30GW of floating wind off the Atlantic coast and become a major contributor to a pan-European renewable energy generation and transmission system.

issues eolas Timeline 2014 OREDP I published

OREDP II seeks to not only consider technological advances to assess the potential for offshore energy in Irish waters, but also map areas most suitable for infrastructure, considering maritime activities and biodiversity.

The OREDP II assessment encompasses the maritime area covering all of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which reaches up to 200 nautical miles or 370km off the coast.

According to the Government: “The second OREDP II is an important tool in setting out the overall framework and spatial strategy to facilitate the transition from a developer-led approach to the enduring plan-led regime.

It will lay out the overall framework and national spatial strategy to guide the long-term, sustainable, and planned development of ORE in our maritime area.”

2021

It adds: “The OREDP II is a dynamic framework which will be updated cyclically to manage the development of ORE in a proactive and holistic way to support our transition to the enduring plan-led regime for ORE in Ireland.”

Updated OREDP I begins.

Maritime Area Planning Act

The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 (MAP Act) proposes Designated Maritime Area Plans (DMAPs), and OREDP II proposes criteria to identify initial broad areas of interest for future ORE development, further refined into smaller geographical areas as part of the DMAP assessment process.

The criteria utilised has identified three broad areas of interest in the form of the Celtic Sea, Shannon/Foynes area, or the North-West coast.

National Marine Planning Framework, Policy Statement on the Framework for Ireland’s Offshore Energy Transmission System 2021 Climate Action Plan

2023 Draft OREDP II consultation

Summer 2023: Final OREDP II

Consultation on OREDP II comes after the Government issued Maritime Area Consents (MACs) to the first phase of seven offshore wind projects following the publication of Climate Action Plan 2023. The award enabled all Phase One projects to begin their pre-planning application engagement with An Bord Pleanála and participation in the first auction for offshore wind under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS).

Launching the consultation, and encouraging participation, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD said: “The Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP II) is one of the key building blocks being progressed now by government to deliver on our ambition to develop 2GW green hydrogen and at least 30GW floating energy beyond 2030.

“How we plan for this development will be important to ensure benefits are delivered for everyone.”

Ireland’s maritime area out to the Exclusive Economic Zone limit

With the consultation having closed on 20 April 2023, the final OREDP II is expected by summer 2023.

Key objectives for the OREDP II: •

assess the resource potential for ORE in Ireland’s maritime area;

•

provide an evidence base to facilitate the future identification of Broad Areas most suitable for the sustainable deployment of ORE in Ireland’s maritime area; and

•

identify critical gaps in marine data or knowledge and recommend prioritised actions to close these gaps.

Credit: National Maritime Oil/HNS Spill Contingency Plan 2020

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issues eolas

A turbulent economy

Turbulence surrounding Ireland’s economy is no longer infrequent and has become part of the everyday context, the Government’s economic and social advisors have highlighted.

The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) in a report to the Cabinet, has argued that amidst economic turbulence, a capacity challenge, and a cohesion challenge, having “a vision and a number of core, supportive lines of action are an essential means of working in this era of turbulence”.

In its report, commissioned over a year ago to examine the cost-of-living crisis following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the council

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has identified three core areas of economic action and ambition in the form of: fiscal sustainability and investment; acting to realise net zero; and making work attractive.

The council’s report is set in the context of a number of sources of turbulence affecting Ireland’s economy and the policy system’s ability to respond. The climate and biodiversity emergencies, demographic shifts, and geopolitical change are among the pressures identified outside of day-to-

issues eolas

day challenges. The council notes that Ireland’s public policy system has demonstrated “flexibility, responsiveness, and effectiveness” to previous shocks, not least Covid-19, and suggests that it is advantageous that Ireland has demonstrated that “building economic resilience can be undertaken on a foundation of progress delivered by the enterprise economy over recent decades”.

However, while the council commends a legacy of policy emphasis that has supported firms to boost competitiveness and productivity, underpinning progress on employment, incomes, and poverty reduction, it stresses that recognising vulnerabilities is a key aspect of building and maintaining economic resilience.

One of the vulnerabilities flagged is that of a capacity challenge, stressing that resilient performance to date is threatened by “significant capacity constraints that persist in transport and energy infrastructure, housing, and health and childcare services”.

“Overall, access to services such as health, transport, education, and housing is often more important in securing people’s living standards and participation in the economy and society than having a higher monetary income,” the report states.

Alongside the capacity challenge, the council has also identified a “cohesion challenge” between the economy and wider society. Although recognising that Budget 2023 was, in both relative and absolute terms, the largest ever programme of direct state support for families and businesses, and that in recent times significant steps have been taken support the most vulnerable in society, it is highlighted that certain cohorts have experienced little change.

“By many metrics, Ireland today is a prosperous and successful country. The policy focus on a competitive, innovative, and export-orientated enterprise base has generated record levels of employment and higher living standards and has provided significant tax revenue to the State in order to meet wider, societal ambitions. However, for that policy to remain sound, persistent vulnerabilities must be named and tackled.”

Components of population change (average annual figures), 1981–2022

100K

50K

0

-50K 6

1

98

8

1 1-

19

6

99

19

8

1 6-

2

99

1 1-

9

19

6

00

2 6-

9

19

Natural Increase

1

00

2 2-

0

20

Net migtation

6

01

20

0

2 6-

2

01

1

2 1-

20

02

2 6-

1

20

Population Change Source: CSO

Calling for concerted policy action, the Council illustrates that the association between unemployment and income insecurity within the labour market, with growing levels of social inequality has the potential to “generate substantial negative externalities for the State in terms of both the loss of tax revenue and increased welfare expenditure to mitigate the effects of ‘bad jobs’”.

The report adds: “The rapid and sustained increases in the number of families in receipt of supports, coupled with the dangers associated with any growth in the incidence of precarious employment, make it all the more important to ensure that the income support system does not inadvertently contribute to a rise in the number of people in low-paid, insecure employment.”

Looking to the future, the report recommends a number of actions for greater economic resilience to economic turbulence. Amongst its recommendations is the creation of a new pensions reserve fund to contribute to the future cost of paying pensions.

According to NESC, age-related increased in public expenditure and a slower pace of revenue growth could drive a deficit of as much as -4.7 per cent of GNI* by the end of the next decade, and as much as -9.3 per cent of GNI* by 2070, without policy intervention.

“Both the revenue and expenditure side of Ireland’s fiscal accounts will be adversely affected by this demographic change. Without significant structural reforms, a large deficit will emerge, and the debt ratio will move onto an unsustainable path, with significant effects on our fiscal and economic resilience.”

The council believes that there is value in establishing a fund to make a contribution towards future costs.

Beyond demographic changes, NESC makes a series of recommendations, including the maintenance of public investment across economic cycles, particularly in infrastructure. Areas of focus relate to housing, where incentivising longer tenancies is suggested, and the drive to net zero, where demand reduction measures feature prominently.

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cover story

A golden thread Dublin Bus CEO Billy Hann welcomes eolas Magazine to the Broadstone Depot to discuss the role his organisation plays in the socioeconomic life of Dublin city, why ‘every journey matters’, and plans to decarbonise its bus fleet.

Having trained as an engineer, Hann devoted almost 29 years to the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), Ireland’s air traffic control organisation, ultimately serving as Director of Air Traffic Management Operations and Strategy. Undaunted by his move to Dublin Bus in December 2022, the CEO insists that the transition has not been as dramatic as might be imagined.

golden thread woven through the socioeconomic fabric of Dublin city,” he asserts, adding: “Becoming CEO of Dublin Bus has been a fantastic opportunity and it is a great honour for me to be involved in such a progressive organisation.”

“While Dublin Bus is a larger organisation and much more public facing than the IAA, the two roles have broad similarities, including operations and engineering support, and other corporate supports which are provided to a large service organisation. Ultimately, though, whether in air traffic services or Dublin Bus services, customers are the key stakeholder,” he insists.

Most bus services in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) are provided under a Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract directly awarded by the National Transport Authority (NTA). Operating in a context which is susceptible to change, the Dublin Bus CEO is keen to emphasise his organisation’s strategic purpose in supporting the social and economic growth of the Greater Dublin Area. “Our strategy is centred around meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations.

We do this by providing a safe, reliable, punctual, and quality bus services to the people of the Greater Dublin Area.”

Born and raised in Dublin, Hann was honoured to take the wheel at Dublin Bus, Ireland's largest public transport provider and a quintessential Dublin brand. “As a bus service provider, Dublin Bus is a

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cover story

Role

Passenger trends Prior to the Covid pandemic, in 2019, Dublin Bus facilitated a total of 140 million annual passenger journeys across its range of services, including Cross City, Radial, Orbital, DART Feeder, Airlink, express limited stop commuter services, and Nitelink.

Highlighting Dublin Bus’s role as an essential service provider during the pandemic, facilitating other essential workers, particularly healthcare workers in their journey to work, Hann expresses pride in the role played by his colleagues in helping to maintain critical services.

“Now, in the first four months of 2023, we are exceeding passenger figures for 2019 by 6 per cent. That is a very positive trend and I anticipate that we will surpass the 140 million passenger mark in 2023. This equates to approximately 2.7 million journeys each week, with a peak of 450,000 passengers each weekday.

cover story

“Dublin Bus is a golden thread woven through the socioeconomic fabric of Dublin city.”

Billy Hann, CEO, Dublin Bus “Each day, Monday to Friday, the total number of people transported by Dublin Bus is larger than the combined city populations of Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford. We are transporting a phenomenal number of people and we are very proud of that fact.”

Increased demand With increased demand comes the need for increased services and the challenge of recruiting bus drivers to deliver those services in an economy close to full employment.

“We are expanding services through BusConnects,” Hann outlines, elaborating: “The challenge that this presents for us is ensuring that we have enough employees, particularly drivers and mechanics, to deliver additional services while maintaining our existing network of core services.”

With applications for driver roles having increased by 900 per cent, Dublin Bus intends to train more than 300 additional drivers by the end of 2023. “It is a significant operation from a recruitment perspective. No other Irish bus provider is recruiting and training drivers at this pace,” the CEO observes.

Reliability Reliability is a key performance indicator within the terms of Dublin Bus’s PSO contract with the NTA. Reliability of Dublin Bus services is measured against the lost kilometre rate.

Under its PSO contract, Dublin Bus must achieve a lost kilometre rate of 2 per cent or less. In other words, 98 per cent of scheduled services must be operated. Hindered by driver shortages, it is currently performing slightly under that figure at 97 per cent.

“Overall, we are 150 drivers short for the delivery of core services,” Hann explains, asserting: “Regardless, we are very close to achieving the 98 per cent. That is why the driver recruitment programme is extremely important to us and will help with further expansion.”

Closely allied to reliability is punctuality. Dublin Bus has approximately 5,000 bus stops and the NTA measures its punctuality against each of those stops. “The NTA expects our buses to arrive within seven minutes of the scheduled time at each of those bus stops, between 70 and 80 per cent of the time, depending on the route. Our buses must not be more than 59 seconds early or six minutes and 58 seconds late. That is difficult to achieve because post-pandemic traffic conditions are dynamic.

“As a customer standing at a bus stop, of course you expect your bus to arrive on time, all the time and we are working extremely hard to ensure this happens. If it does not turn up, then generally there is a very good reason for that.”

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cover story

Without our customers, we do not have a business and it is as simple as that,” he comments.

“Each of our buses are 100 per cent accessible, so we are very keen to provide services to all within our communities in Dublin,” he comments.

“For example, we are very proud to operate a free Travel Assistance Scheme which aims to instil confidence to use public transport among people with disabilities.”

Through this scheme, any person with a disability can contact one of Dublin Bus’s travel assistants who will then arrange to meet the individual at their home, identify the relevant bus route, and accompany the individual to the bus stop, on the bus journey, and all the way to their destination. They will do this as many times as required to ensure that an individual has the confidence to make the journey independently.

"Each day, Monday to Friday, the total number of people transported by Dublin Bus is larger than the combined city populations of Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford."

BusConnects Meanwhile, the October 2022 launch of Phase 4 of the BusConnects Network Redesign introduced the G-Spine routes operated by Dublin Bus and serving Red Cow-Spencer Dock, Liffey ValleySpencer Dock, and Red Cow-Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.

Reflecting on the latest expansion of the bus network, Hann remarks: “Ultimately, BusConnects is going to improve frequency and enhance the coverage of bus services across the Greater Dublin Area.

“We have implemented four phases and phases five and six are scheduled to be rolled out towards the end of 2023.

However, BusConnects does have its challenges. Again, the most significant challenge for us with regards to the

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implementation of the BusConnects is the demand for additional bus drivers.

We must maintain core bus services while also providing for the expansion of BusConnects.”

Customer expectations Recognising that its customers are its key stakeholders, Dublin Bus strives towards an “every journey matters” ethos. Reflecting on his initial months as CEO, Hann has observed the real-world application of this ethos by Dublin Bus drivers who, he says, exhibit a “recognisable and palpable joy in serving their communities”.

“As far as we are concerned, our objective is to meet and, where possible, exceed the expectations of our customers through our service delivery.

Other key performance indicators contained in the PSO contract with the NTA include cleanliness of buses and accuracy of real time passenger information (RTPI). “We are focused on exceeding the requirement in the PSO contract, which will help lift the overall performance of the organisation,” Hann explains.

Electrification Acknowledging that the wider transport sector represents almost one-quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions – with a share of 17.7 per cent in Ireland in 2021 – Hann suggests that it is “a fantastic opportunity for Dublin Bus to make a difference”. “Given that Ireland has committed to the reduction of carbon emissions in transport by 50 per cent by 2030 and a fully decarbonised transport sector by 2050, Dublin Bus will play a role through the electrification of its fleet.

“We are currently in the process of delivering this. For instance, the Dublin Bus depots at Phibsborough and Summerhill are being retrofitted with substations and chargers to facilitate electrification. We are also taking delivery of approximately 100 double-decker buses in 2023, with testing set to take place in Q3, before becoming operational in Q4.

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“Over time, eight of our depots will be equipped with significant charging capacity and our goal is to have 40 per cent of our bus fleet electrified by 2027, with an ambition of 85 per cent by 2032.

We aim to have decarbonised our entire fleet by 2035,” Hann determines.

Addressing the obvious question of why electrification cannot be achieved sooner, he explains: “Firstly, the NTA has already invested in diesel buses with a 12-year life cycle; so, we are applying a phased approach, removing these from service as they approach the end of life, and replacing them with electric alternatives.

Secondly, electric vehicle technology is still in relative infancy. As such, we want to learn from early adopters, ensuring that we invest in future-proofed assets and that our depots are as resilient as possible.”

Sustainability In late 2022, Dublin Bus published its new sustainability strategy with three main pillars: 1. environment; 2. governance; and 3. employee wellbeing and social responsibility.

While electrification of the fleet is the single most significant of Dublin Bus’s climate action ambitions, the bus service provider has several initiatives seeking to enhance the sustainability and liveability of Dublin city. For instance, Dublin Bus has installed beehives at two of its depots – Phibsborough and Broadstone – under its Dublin Buzz initiative.

“In the push to enhance biodiversity and support the recovery of the native black bee population, Dublin Bus is playing its part. We have also planted several wildflower embankments at our depots to support the beehive installations,” Hann remarks, adding: “Recently, our Dublin Buzz initiative secured the biodiversity initiative award at the 2023 Business and Finance ESG Awards.

“We have also launched a very successful rainwater harvesting pilot project at one of our depots. Each of our buses must be washed and cleaned nightly; a process that requires a considerable volume of water. As an alternative, we have begun to capture,

filter, and use rainwater instead, an initiative which will be rolled out at all our depots in due course.”

Governance Under the sectoral emissions ceilings agreed in July 2022, the transport sector is required to halve its emissions by 2030. Climate Action Plan 2023 has established a pathway for a “radical, equitable transformation in how we travel over the next seven years”, and, ultimately, complete decarbonisation by 2050.

Reflecting on Dublin Bus’s contribution to this transformation, Hann explains: “When a government target is set around sustainable mobility, as a bus service provider, we have a legal obligation to ensure that we take action to deliver those targets, monitoring and exceeding them where possible.”

Social responsibility Emphasising the importance of the health and wellbeing of his colleagues, the Dublin Bus CEO adheres to the adage that “a happy workforce is a productive workforce”. Advocating healthy lifestyle choices, Dublin Bus employs dedicated staff to “provide our colleagues with information and training to ensure that their physical and mental wellbeing is looked after”.

Within communities in the Greater Dublin Area, meanwhile, Dublin Bus is engaging with primary school age children, educating them on the significance of public transport, particularly bus services. “There is a challenge around antisocial behaviour in relation to our buses, so we are working closely with communities, stressing the importance that bus services should not be subjected to vandalism or antisocial behaviour,” Hann notes.

“We have also teamed up with Bohemian Football Club as an official club partner.

Bohs recently launched a robust social responsibility programme, and the club has undertaken fantastic work around diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity.

“That really resonates with the values of Dublin Bus, which has over 78 nationalities represented across its organisation. Making sure that these people are represented and valued is very important to us.”

Ambitions In the immediate term, the CEO is determined to return Dublin Bus services to “the performance levels which meet and exceed customer expectations”.

Looking ahead, while conceding that the PSO contract does not have much scope for profitability, he insists that the commercial aspect of Dublin Bus services – for example, the DoDublin and Ghostbus bus tours – have significant potential.

“Currently, due to driver shortages we are unable to put as much investment into our commercial aspects as we would like.

However, as we begin to reverse that challenge, we will begin to invest in the services which we think will enhance our profitability.

“Our commitment to sustainability is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity to create a better future for our city and our planet. Dublin Bus wants to play a leading role in tackling climate change by reducing its carbon footprint and providing a more sustainable and reliable service. With the continued support of our customers, we are confident that together we can build a better Dublin, one journey at a time”, Hann concludes.

Profile: Billy Hann An engineer by training, Billy Hann holds a degree in electronic engineering, a master’s in operations management from DCU, a master’s in executive leadership from Ulster University, and has completed a programme for leadership development with Harvard Business School. A native of Ballymun, Dublin, he is an “avid sportsperson”, playing golf and badminton at a casual level. Hann’s sport of choice, however, is open water and pool swimming. He continues to compete at masters level, completing the Liffey Swim on many occasions.

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Credit: HSE

issues eolas

New HSE CEO Gloster: HSE ‘too top-heavy’

Bernard Gloster has become the new Director General of the HSE, following the resignation of his predecessor, Paul Reid.

Gloster’s appointment is hoped to bring stability to the HSE, which has been hampered by a number of high-profile resignations over the last year, as well as an admitted decline in public confidence following the infamous 2021 cyberattack. Gloster will earn a salary of just over €420,000.

One of those recent resignations was that of Martin Curley, who upon his resignation as head of digital transformation in January 2023, described the Irish healthcare system as “potentially the worst-performing healthcare system in the northern hemisphere”.

In a response to that criticism, Gloster, appearing before the Oireachtas Health Committee on 22 March 2023, outlined three priority areas he aims to improve in the HSE, namely: access and performance; timely implementation; and public confidence.

Gloster further outlined, in a response to a question from the Social Democrats’ Róisín Shortall TD: “It [the HSE] is an organisation that has become a top-heavy structure with many cumbersome processes. The opportunities presented by Sláintecare and the Programme for Government priorities will assist in tackling some of these issues. But structure itself, however, is not an answer on its own.”

Responding to a question from Fine Gael Senator Seán Kyne, Gloster explained his belief 16

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that winter plans for the HSE have “passed their usefulness”.

“My preference is that we will have an all-yearround capacity plan… We experience pressures throughout the year, and you would find it hard to distinguish between winter and summer. It is something I want to discuss with the Minister [for Health] and the Secretary General.”

Gloster formally took up the position of HSE Director General on 6 March 2023. Prior to his new position, he was Chief Executive of the State child and family agency, Tusla. Before joining Tusla as CEO in September 2019, Gloster spent more than 30 years working in the health service. He held several senior management positions including Chief Officer of HSE MidWest Community Healthcare and worked in or managed in both community and acute hospital operations.

He is a social care worker by profession, holds an MBA from Oxford Brookes University and an MSc in management practice from UCC. Upon announcing Gloster’s appointment, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD said: “I am delighted that he is to take up this role. The challenge of leading our health services is among the most important roles in our public service and I look forward to working closely with Bernard as we work towards our goal of delivering universal health care for our people.”

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New Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use Described as the most 'ambitious and farreaching’ discussion on national drugs policy, the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use is expected to finalise its report by the end of 2023.

The Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use, established on 14 February 2023, held its first meeting on the 15 and 16 April 2023.

Comprised of 99 members and an independent chair, the Citizens’ Assembly will be asked to consider the legislative, policy, and operational changes the State could make to significantly reduce the harmful impacts of illicit drugs on individuals, families, communities, and wider society.

transformative. Clearly our members recognise this and I want to thank them for their enthusiasm, engagement, and eagerness to learn.”

Drug law in Ireland is currently administered under the aegis of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977. Under the current legislation: •

In its first meeting, the assembly focused on drugs use patterns and trends, the harmful impacts of drugs use, and a ‘person-centred perspective’ on drugs use. Members were also presented with an outline of a draft work programme for the assembly and how it will conduct its work towards the preparation of a final report and recommendations, to be presented to the Taoiseach and Houses of the Oireachtas by the end of 2023.

Assembly chair, the former HSE CEO Paul Reid, said following the first meeting: “We have now begun the most ambitious and far-reaching discussion on drugs use and national drugs policy that has ever taken place in Ireland. This Assembly has the opportunity to be

•

Possession of cannabis or cannabis resin for personal use is punishable by a fine on first and second conviction. A third and all subsequent offences incur a fine and/or a term of imprisonment for up to one year on summary conviction (i.e. of a minor offence charged by way of a summons and heard in a lower (district) court), or alternatively, a fine and/or imprisonment for up to three years for conviction on indictment (i.e. a more serious offence for which a formal charge is brought and the case is referred to the criminal courts, where the defendant may opt for a jury trial).

Possession of all other controlled substances incurs a penalty of a fine and/or imprisonment for up to one year on summary conviction, and

imprisonment for up to seven years for conviction on indictment.

•

Possession for the purpose of sale or supply incurs penalties ranging from imprisonment for up to one year and/or a fine on summary conviction, or up to imprisonment for life and or/an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment.

A report by the European Journal for Public Health, published in March 2023, critiqued Irish politicians for allowing drug reform to be “kicked into the long grass”, further finding that decriminalisation of drugs “could help with criminal and social issues”.

Speaking to eolas Magazine, People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny stated his belief that there will be a liberalisation of drug laws in Ireland: “I am quietly confident that this Citizens’ Assembly will bring about a change to our draconian drug laws. I think public opinion has shifted and people recognise that Ireland is far behind the curve with other European countries like the Netherlands and Portugal.”

He further said: “The Government has adopted a harm reduction approach which I welcome, but we really need to see this go much further. We have a burgeoning prison population which has been partially fuelled by jailing people for drugs use and we need to have radical solutions to this very serious problem.”

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round table discussion

Enhancing the resilience of Ireland's critical infrastructure Amid increasing dependency and interdependency, Jacobs hosted a round table discussion with key semi-state and private stakeholders from across the critical infrastructure community seeking to determine how Ireland might enhance the resilience of its infrastructure.

What does increasing complexity, dependency, and interdependency between critical infrastructure assets mean for the critical infrastructure community/the resilience value chain?

Mitch Tunikowski We are inescapably dependent on each other to create resilient infrastructure.

Individual organisations cannot singlehandedly address the increasing complexity, dependency, and interdependency between critical infrastructure assets. I believe we must work towards delivering shared infrastructure corridors, sweating existing assets in the process. However, from a legal perspective, the way the critical infrastructure community is structured and funded is hindering many potential solutions. In the housing sector, the Land Development Agency has shown us that

a commercial state-sponsored body can be effective. Is there scope, therefore, for an LDA-style body in the critical infrastructure space?

determine what the system of the future will look like so that we can build the infrastructure required for the coming decades.

Marian Troy

Pat Maher

Dependency and interdependency evolve and becomes more complex over time.

Operating a traditional thermal power station requires a supply of water and fuel, such as natural gas so we already have interdependency between critical infrastructure. As decarbonising our electricity generation is renewables-led, our old assumptions are changing. Power station operations now respond to fluctuations in wind, solar, and demand – the electricity system operator must plan and operate the grid to ensure that security of supply is maintained.

Likewise, sectors such as transport and heat rely more and more on a secure and decarbonised electricity supply, which alters the demand profile. It is incumbent on policymakers and regulators to

Consider the M50, Dublin Port Tunnel, Dublin Port, and Dublin Airport.

Historically, people have not considered the interaction and interdependence of these assets. That is changing. Dublin Port handles around 85 per cent of all the unitised traffic entering the State.

Similarly, Dublin Airport accounts for 85 per cent of passenger traffic entering Dublin. A very high percentage of that traffic must then travel via the tunnel or the M50. It is important for TII, therefore, to better explain how critical its infrastructure assets are, not alone in terms of the movement of people, but also in relation to its interaction with Dublin Port and Dublin Airport. As such, any potential impact of a lack of resilience could impact severely on other assets and transportation modes, and this is replicated across many interfaces. It is important for each of our organisations to be aware, not only of the infrastructure assets we are managing, but of how they interface with all the other critical infrastructure that Ireland depends upon.

Round table discussion hosted by

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Paul Lennon There is no doubt that we are becoming more dependent and interdependent. There are advantages to this. For example, adopting a whole system approach can provide significant benefits for resilience across the overall system.

However, this hinges on careful integration. Smart technologies, predictive modelling, and real time data enable us to better integrate our various systems. As Marian mentioned, the wider energy system is becoming increasingly complex amid greater penetration of renewable energy. This reality has transformed how we will operate the gas network into the future; it is becoming increasingly coupled to wind now as power generation is our biggest demand sector. As well as decreasing emissions, decarbonising the gas network has the potential to enhance the overall resilience of the energy system as we transition away from having one large entry point from Scotland to having many indigenous supplies of green hydrogen and biomethane.

Round table participants Paul Hendrick Paul Hendrick is Director Capital Investments at Iarnród Éireann, having joined the business in March 2021. A chartered engineer, Paul has over 20 years’ experience in senior project delivery roles working on complex infrastructure projects and programmes including the inaugural Luas Red and Green Line, ESB Network renewals, Luas Red and Green Line extensions, Manchester Metrolink Phase 3 expansion, Heathrow Terminal 2, Luas Cross City, and the Grangegorman TU Dublin PPP Campus. During that time, he held roles with TII (formerly RPA), Laing O’Rourke, Sisk, and Macquarie.

Sean Laffey In the past, our problems were siloed, and we dealt with them in isolation. That has changed.

While prevailing challenges impact us in different ways, ultimately, they are shared, and we can only mitigate them through collaboration. Uisce Éireann recently completed a programme called Project 2050 which examined the impact of climate change on water and wastewater systems in this country out to 2050. Of the key themes which have emerged, collaboration has assumed primacy. With increasing integration of critical infrastructure, collaboration will grow organically out of necessity. As a grouping, therefore, we must begin collaborative scenario planning. If we can do this, we will enhance our collective resilience.

Paul Lennon Paul Lennon is Head of Asset Management at Gas Networks Ireland. Prior to this he was Group Head of Safety and Asset Performance with Ervia and has over 20 years of asset management experience within the oil, gas, and water industries. Paul is a chartered engineer and holds a BEng in mechanical engineering, and diplomas in asset management and financial management.

Pat Maher Pat Maher is Director of Network Management at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). A civil engineering graduate of the University of Galway and the University of Calgary, Canada. He joined the NRA in 1999 and since 2015 has been Director of Network Management at TII. He has overall responsibility for the management and operation of TII’s motorways and tunnels.

Paul Hendrick While other countries have been making advancements since the 1960s, Ireland has been experiencing a period of chronic underinvestment in infrastructure in general. Now, however, we have no choice but to move forward with the electrification of our rail network as per Iarnród Éireann’s long-term strategy and the DART+ programme. A natural outworking of this is enhanced collaboration with ESB Networks. Our 2,220km of rail network will not be electrified overnight, it will take decades. As such, we must focus on our InterCity lines, collaborating with ESB Networks to deliver the required grid infrastructure. As part of the transition to electrified mass transit, we must install overhead line infrastructure along the InterCity network, including Dublin-Belfast, Dublin-Cork, DublinGalway, Dublin-Limerick, and Dublin-Waterford.

Similarly, we are working very closely with our Translink colleagues in the North to enhance the Enterprise fleet which is approaching its end of life by the end of this decade. When we speak of resilience priorities, we must renew that fleet. We

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Sean Laffey Sean Laffey has been Director of Asset Management and Sustainability at Uisce Éireann since early 2022, having previously served as Head of Asset Management. From his time in the local authorities of South Dublin County Council, Kildare County Council, and Carlow County Council, he brought with him a wealth of experience in engineering and water services.

Sean was also part of the Water Services Transition Office preparing to transition water services to Uisce Éireann upon its inception.

Marian Troy Marian Troy is Head of Corporate Affairs, Ireland at SSE, leading policy, communications, and public affairs for SSE Group in Ireland. Marian previously led corporate affairs for SSE Thermal and has over 14 years’ experience in the energy sector having joined SSE in 2013 from Endesa Ireland. She also previously worked with the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities and the European Commission. Marian is a lawyer and town planner by background.

Mitch Tunikowski Mitch Tunikowski is the Head of Growth and Sales for Europe at Jacobs. He has held several positions in his 20-year tenure at Jacobs, spanning both the advanced facilities (AF) and building and infrastructure businesses. These include project delivery and sales operations in AF, client account manager, regional growth project delivery, major programmes, country leadership and regional (Europe) leadership roles.

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IT. In addition, we have invested in the development of a number of tools such as the Carbon First and the Climate Risk Manager platforms for deployment on client projects.

Marian Troy SSE plc is a clean energy champion. We want to stay ahead of the challenge of our time, the climate emergency. Each of our strategies and projects aim to deliver a complementary mix of low-carbon technologies, and we have proactively set our own science-based carbon reduction targets. As well as staying ahead of climate policy, we strive to be resilient to extreme weather events and have developed continuity plans to maintain asset integrity.

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“It is incumbent on policymakers and regulators to determine what the system of the future will look like so that we can build the infrastructure required for the coming decades.” Marian Troy hope to tender the procurement of a new fleet with twice as much rolling stock so that we can provide an hourly service and improve journey times, increasing the attractiveness to commuters.

What measures has your organisation undertaken to continuously improve the resilience of its critical infrastructure?

Paul Lennon Improving infrastructure resilience is a long-term project, and one which must consider the whole asset life cycle. In 2009, Gas Networks Ireland, then Bord Gáis Éireann, modernised and restructured its networks business to make it more asset and data centric.

Establishing an asset management department and creating an asset management development programme heralded new processes, systems and a detailed suite of policies, procedures, and specifications for all our assets, over their entire life cycle. That has been a foundation for us to layer on top other priorities such as sustainability, biodiversity, and resilience. More recently, we have integrated our five management systems together into one system, which has been hugely beneficial in cultivating a full appreciation for the resilience that we have and require. Additionally, a major focus for us in recent years is the cybersecurity threat to our assets and in

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response we established a specialised cybersecurity team.

Mitch Tunikowski Jacobs, like most businesses, sets an horizon strategy, and this recognises the growing threats of cyber-attack and of climate change. We understand that this is a once-in-a-generation connectivity challenge. Therefore, we are positioning ourselves to not only offer the ‘nuts and bolts’ engineering solutions, but also create smart solutions which address the complementary challenges facing most organisations. For example, we have made several tactical acquisitions around cyber operational technology and cyber-

Sean Laffey Uisce Éireann’s footprint is huge. Our network includes 63,000km of pipelines to supply treated drinking water, 25,000km of wastewater pipelines, 750 water treatment plants, and 1,100 wastewater treatment plants. One of the major projects undertaken at our inception 10 years ago was to understand our asset base and then build long-term plans around those assets. In 2022, we published the 25-year National Water Resources Plan for our supply of drinking water and we are developing something similar on wastewater. However, we have sight of the impacts of climate change, and we recognise that much of the water resources we currently rely on are unsustainable in the long term. There is no short-term solution to addressing these challenges. Over 25 years, we estimate €60 billion will be required to bring our networks and treatment plants up to standard and to instil resilience.

“There is a severe dearth of knowledge relating to cost of delivering resilience in the face of climate change and much more work needs to be done to identify that cost.” Pat Maher

Pat Maher Resilience is a long-term endeavour and we have made notable progress on our operational resilience to extreme weather events in recent years. In 2021, we published our Sustainability Implementation Plan, Our Future, followed in 2022 by our updated Climate Adaptation Strategy. It is notable that extreme weather events are becoming more severe and unpredictable. Sooner or later, a major rainfall event will happen that will shock the country. TII’s role is to make the national road network as resilient as possible in the face of that inevitable challenge. However, we have significant institutional roadblocks, for example, aspects of our environmental legislation do not facilitate quick and agile responses. We must do more to influence central government and policymakers, and the best way to do so is as a collective of state asset owners.

Paul Hendrick

How can government better support semi-states and the private sector to ensure that the critical infrastructure assets they operate are safer, more secure, and more resilient?

Sean Laffey The electoral cycle mindset is a frustration. There must be more recognition from government that intergenerational infrastructure projects will benefit Ireland Inc. and they must be prioritised. While we continue to utilise drainage infrastructure that Joseph Bazalgette had the foresight to build 150 years ago, we are no longer adequately addressing the long-term infrastructure needs of future generations. I believe that we need to band together as the people who provide the critical services for the State to advocate for a more visionary mindset.

“These inter-generational projects need to sit outside the election cycle mindset.” Mitch Tunikowski Pat Maher One potential solution is the creation of something akin to the UK’s centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, which has injected more cohesion into public policy decisions around infrastructure. Across government, there is an element of segmentation that does not lend itself to integrated infrastructure development. Similarly, we have legal and planning systems that do not give sufficient thought to the importance of being able to deliver critical infrastructure. A lack of synchronicity is a real challenge to Ireland Inc. Mitch Tunikowski The planning discussion is one that we have been having for over a decade and something needs to change in the forthcoming Planning and Development Bill 2022. One solution I envisage is the creation of a joint infrastructure fund, encouraging collaboration and connectivity on resilience accelerator projects. This collaboration would encourage prioritisation of projects and put a different emphasis on delivery than has existed to date.

Marian Troy Many organisations have performed exceptionally well in managing service delivery with existing infrastructure. Now, however, it is time for visionary and intergenerational investment. The electricity sector is a prime example, whereby pockets of vision from government have enabled high levels of renewable

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As an organisation with much of its infrastructure and technology dating from the 1970s, Iarnród Éireann has many ongoing projects and programmes in relation to enhancing its resilience. The most significant project for us right now is the construction of a new National Train Control Centre at Heuston Station, which will replace the control room at Connolly Station which is facing capacity constraints as its IT systems near life expiration. When the new NTCC becomes operational in 2025, we plan to repurpose Connolly as a backup facility.

As well as building our own resilience, the project has also been a major source of collaboration with partners such as Dublin City Council and An Garda Síochána on future operations.

generation and ambitious offshore wind targets have enabled companies like SSE to bring major projects forward.

Simultaneously, however, in the absence of a long-term vision for connection policy and grid reinforcement, Ireland has the potential to fall behind in the delivery of its renewable energy ambitions. We also need policies to deliver decarbonised back-up ‘on demand’ generation, from technologies such as carbon capture and storage or hydrogen as well as energy storage.

Paul Lennon Long-term planning and long-term funding are the big-ticket items, but there are two additional spheres in which government support is critical. The first is to facilitate large scale, multi-party crisis management exercises to test resilience.

We can all do our own exercises, but the multi-party exercises are of the greatest benefit to tease out whole system issues and impacts, and I believe government has a key role in delivering that. Secondly, emerging skills gaps are evident, and we are already seeing pinch points in sectors such as renewables and cybersecurity.

Those gaps will also emerge in the more traditional industries if steps are not taken to put in place apprenticeship programmes, develop attractive careers, and reverse the talent drain out of Ireland. 4

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the risks of cyber-attack and physical attack. Threats are becoming increasingly advanced and there is an obvious trend of attacks on infrastructure organisations, particularly in the energy sector. We are all having to work really hard to stay ahead of cyber threats and it is worrying that the advancement of technology, including artificial intelligence, has the potential to make these more difficult to anticipate.

Physical attack is a risk too. Where previously underwater assets were regarded as extremely secure, the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage was a watershed moment.

Marian Troy

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“In developing infrastructure we need to clearly communicate the benefits but also highlight the costs of not implementing projects.” Paul Lennon

Climate change is a huge threat but in the energy sector we have the answers, we know how to decarbonise our system, and with the right policy signals we have already seen private investment come forward. I think the threat comes from delay to making decisions now which will enable the delivery of the generation mix and grid infrastructure we will need in five-, 10- or 15-years’ time.

Mitch Tunikowski

Paul Hendrick We need a much more predictable and steady means of delivering projects and activities. Take the Celtic Tiger experience as an example. We have had a cyclical stop-start process of building up a pipeline of work, a body of knowledge, and a resource community, only to stop dead in our tracks and lose those advantages. The damage of that experience is not fully realised, and it must be countered with long-term commitments. The soon-to-be-published All-Island Strategic Rail Review is an exemplar of long-term vision within government, setting out the vision of comprehensive strategic planning for between the next 50 and 100 years. That type of approach, if it were to be taken and applied to a multi-disciplinary allisland review, could be a major enabler of resilience building.

Operating in an increasingly uncertain future, what is the single most significant threat to Ireland’s critical infrastructure?

Sean Laffey The single most significant threat is climate change. We rely on the environment for our raw materials, such as water, and any damage done to that has ramifications. By way of example, we produce 1.8 billion litres of drinking water a day and to do so, we rely on the environment to take back the discharge from our wastewater treatment plants. If water sources dry up, we lose not only current water sources, but also the ability to suitably dilute our discharge.

Paul Lennon Alongside climate change, I would identify

For me, the most significant threat is our funding models. If we continue to fund projects as we currently do, we will not address the problem. Dublin Port Tunnel is a prime example of a project that faced intense resistance but is now a critical component to how the city operates.

These inter-generational projects need to sit outside the election cycle mindset.

Future funding models, which recognise that, can release the current project bottleneck.

Pat Maher The cost of implementing effective climate change adaptation is a major challenge.

There is a severe dearth of knowledge relating to cost of delivering resilience in the face of climate change and much more work needs to be done to identify that cost.

Another challenge is in relation to road user charging and demand management. When

“There is an opportunity to act now to ensure the people challenge does not become a further hurdle downstream.”

Paul Hendrick

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you look at existing major assets like the M50 and similar arterial roads, there is virtually no scope for further expansion. We must ensure these routes are available for strategic traffic, such as haulage and logistics, rather than commuters who are finding it more convenient to travel by car rather than use public transport. Our recently produced report Project Bruce is a horizon scan of PPPs returning to state ownership and assesses the best models to ensure optimal management of the road network in relation to future demand.

Paul Hendrick

What opportunities exist to construct new and more resilient infrastructure into the future?

“We need to shift the mindset of politicians in electoral cycles to foster statespeople with long-term vision and the drive to deliver longer term goals.” Sean Laffey standards. We need to shift the mindset of politicians in electoral cycles to foster statespeople with long-term vision and the drive to deliver longer-term goals.

Paul Hendrick Paul Lennon The biggest opportunities lie in the climate change commitment to a net zero future. This is a once in a generation opportunity to drive forward with renewing and improving our infrastructure.

Mitch Tunikowski Much of the critical infrastructure we currently use was built with a long-term vision, and it was delivered without the resources and the technology that we currently have. Providing we create the right ecosystem for visionary project delivery, there is an opportunity to channel that inter-generational mindset and build resilient infrastructure for the future.

Sean Laffey This is not Ireland’s challenge alone. It is a systematic, global challenge. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the world’s population will have face a challenge of accessing clean drinking water at some point annually. Ireland is not a water stressed country, but we do have inadequate infrastructure in the wrong locations. The opportunity for resilience lies in building the right infrastructure, in the right places, and to the right

Social and public engagement is going to be key throughout asset life cycles. In developing infrastructure we need to clearly communicate the benefits but also highlight the costs of not implementing projects. The idea of an over-arching strategy for the major infrastructure items for the whole country is appealing because it can facilitate broad community input from an early stage, induce a level of ownership, and promote the benefits in the long-term operation and maintenance of assets.

Pat Maher It is critical that the MetroLink is built. A city the size of Dublin should have a metro and it should be built with the mindset adopted in other European countries that it can be improved and expanded in the future. Having intergenerational vision will not just improve our infrastructure resilience but our social resilience too.

round table discussion

For me it is people. Talent recruitment and retention is a real challenge. The reality is that there are not enough people and skills to deliver the volume of construction required to maintain and develop Ireland’s infrastructure over the rest of this century. We can have all the ambition in the world but if we do not have the people to deliver, then these projects cannot happen. The skills challenge is being masked by other challenges in the system, such as planning and resourcing, causing delay upstream. There is an opportunity to act now to ensure the people challenge does not become a further hurdle downstream.

within a few months of its launch, the criticism being levelled was that it had not been built big enough. I have yet to see the delivery of a major infrastructure project built whereby the decision was subsequently regretted. With that in mind, there is a need to be brave in envisaging and delivering the critical infrastructure of the future.

Marian Troy In relation to decarbonisation, opportunity lies in the fact that we have many of the solutions, and that we have many of the headline policy targets, but the challenge is implementation. When we get into delivery-mode, the benefits to Ireland will be manifold, including economic activity and reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels and associated volatile pricing.

Underscoring this is the opportunity to empower the customer, through in-home generation like rooftop solar and demand side management. Empowerment can enable consumers to link big picture climate action ambitions with their tangible daily experiences.

Paul Hendrick Bravery is an opportunity in itself. I worked on the original Luas Green and Red Line projects, and it was vociferously criticised as being unnecessary. However, 23 23

Credit: Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street.

issues eolas

The Windsor Framework explained Post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland have been refined, and despite opposition from the DUP, formal agreement between the UK and the EU has been reached.

Originally designed to mitigate the impact of Brexit on the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, the Northern Ireland Protocol averted the need for a hard border on the island. However, as it became apparent that checks and controls would instead be shifted to the Irish Sea, the Protocol became politically divisive.

Some interpreted the Protocol as equipping Northern Ireland with distinct economic advantage, with goods able to move from Northern Ireland across the whole of the EU and into Britain, but for others, the Irish Sea border not only threatened the fabric of the United Kingdom but caused practical disruption to some trade coming into Northern Ireland.

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eolas issues

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The UK’s repeated attempts to renegotiate the legally binding post-Brexit agreement soured its relationship with the EU, but after months of erratic negotiations, and a change of Prime Minister in the UK, the Windsor Framework has been designed to essentially reduce the significance of the Irish Sea border.

Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU rules for goods trade, but the new agreement sets out processes concerning trade, state subsidies, and value added tax, which encourages light-touch regulation.

Trade The prospect of green and red channels for goods had been proposed as far back as then-Prime Minister Theresa May’s ‘backstop’ agreement but, until now, failed to emerge out of a variety of objections levelled at any formal agreement to date. The Windsor Framework, however, has successfully navigated a potential Conservative Party backbench rebellion in the UK, meaning that goods coming from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will undergo less scrupulous (green lane) checks, than those destined for the Republic of Ireland and the EU single market (red lane).

One of the mechanisms for enabling this is a trusted trader scheme which, according to the EU, promises “an unprecedented reduction” of customs paperwork. “Not for EU” labels on agrifood products will see the EU accept UK public health standards in Northern Ireland, allowing products such as meat to travel from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The successful evolution of the application of such labels promises the prospect of identity checks on consignments falling to as low as 5 per cent by 2025.

The EU’s leniency is contingent on the UK’s agreement to share near-real-time customs data, which can then be used to identify any divergence or fraud. On both sides of the negotiations, these steps were being welcomed as having greatly reduced the number of checks that will take place once the implementation of the labels is complete in 2025. British Prime

Minister Rishi Sunak MP has asserted that the changes “removed any sense of a border in the Irish Sea”.

Agreement that parcels and online deliveries from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will not require customs paperwork has been welcomed.

Businesses using approved parcel carriers will also be party to simplified customs procedures, while those were forced to pay tariffs for the importation of specific types of British-made steel following a change to EU quota rules will no longer have to pay said tariffs.

Another key stumbling block that has been overcome has been the standoff over VAT, with Sunak having said during his time as Chancellor of the Exchequer that it would be unacceptable for Northern Ireland to not adopt UK VAT rate changes. Northern Ireland will now be included in UK VAT rate changes, but in return the UK Government has agreed not to undercut minimum EU VAT rates, except for on immovable objects, such as household solar panels, with a comprehensive list of such items to be excluded to be drawn up in the next five years.

State aid Meanwhile, Article 10 of the Protocol, which stipulated that any subsidy decisions that would affect the goods trade in Northern Ireland would have to be referred to the EU for approval, had been consistent source of unionist and British hostility, with suggestions that it amounted to a violation of the sovereignty of the UK. While Article 10 has remained intact through the negotiations, the UK Government has said that “stringent” tests will now apply, placing 98 per cent of the subsidies for Northern Ireland beyond the reach of the EU.

The role of Northern Ireland’s institutions Much attention has been allocated by both the media and the political parties to the Stormont Brake, a mechanism designed to assuage unionist fears that the Protocol would mean that the laws of the EU would be automatically implemented in Northern Ireland.

Criticised as a token gesture to give the illusion of sovereignty in some quarters,

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Credit: Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street.

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the Stormont Brake is thus designed to allow the Assembly to apply an “emergency brake” in “exceptional circumstances” if 30 MLAs from at least two parties vote to block the adoption of EU single market rules.

The brake will mean that any rule that provokes a one-third rejection will then be referred to Westminster and Brussels for discussion, with the EU obligated to take “remedial measures” if Westminster decides not to implement measures the EU deems necessary.

The mechanism could possibly open the door for the DUP’s return to the institutions. For instance, there is a possibility that the party could leverage unequivocal backing from the Westminster government on such challenges – which is not a given despite how it may be portrayed – in exchange for returning to Stormont. Westminster has said that it will legislate to ensure it will take account of Stormont demands in the event of the brake mechanism being triggered.

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eolas issues

The union Likewise, bureaucratic red tape that had been the source of unionist perceptions that the Protocol had diminished the equality of Northern Ireland’s place within the UK have also been addressed. For instance, having previously needed to be microchipped and in possession of a passport to travel from Britain to Northern Ireland, pets will now only require a travel document. Similarly, medicines approved for use in the UK that have not yet been approved for use in the EU will now be available in Northern Ireland, and seed potatoes and plants banned from importation for fear of diseases carried will now be able to move freely to Northern Ireland under a special plant health label.

The European Court of Justice Among the most strident demands of unionists and the maximalist Brexit wing of the Conservative Party has been the

end of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over Northern Ireland and an end to the court’s role as the Protocol’s adjudicator. The Windsor Framework does not achieve this and neither does it deliver on another key unionist demand for the creation of a dispute resolution mechanism with international arbitration.

Westminster has instead argued that the implementation of the green lane trading system and its narrowing of the number of EU laws that will apply to Northern Ireland – reducing the total by some 1,700 pages – mean that the original Protocol deal will no longer apply to Northern Ireland and only 3 per cent of EU law will be applicable.

The command paper published by the British Government explains its position: “The rules that do apply are there solely, and only as strictly necessary, in order to maintain the unique ability for Northern Ireland firms to sell their goods into the EU market.”

issues eolas Liz Pope, acting CEO of Tailte Éireann, and Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell TD at the launch of Tailte Éireann. Credit: Tailte Éireann

Tailte Éireann officially begins operations A merger of the Property Registration Authority, Ordnance Survey Ireland, and the Valuation Office has resulted in the creation of a new government body named Tailte Éireann. The body will combine the functions of its constituent parts to provide a property title registration service, a valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure.

The new statutory body will operate under the aegis of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and will be responsible for the provision of the property registration system, property valuation, and national mapping and surveying. Tailte Éireann will act as the national repository of property information and geospatial data, as well as a leader in the development of land information services. In accordance with the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021, the body has been named in Irish.

Speaking upon the launch of Tailte Éireann, Minister of State with Responsibility for Local Government and Planning Kieran O’Donnell TD said: “The new agency is the primary national source of property information and geospatial data and will be a leader in developing and delivering landinformation services. These functions are essential for underpinning the State's economy in many areas – including property, planning, agriculture, local government, the environment, and construction.”

Having begun operations in mid-March

2023, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD announced Tailte Éireann’s first board one week later. David McGarry, a member of the Institute of Directors and Chartered Accountants Ireland, previously of Bus Éireann and Indaver, has been selected as prospective chair, while director of the Irish League of Credit Unions and National Treatment Purchase Fund board member Martin Sisk, practicing solicitor Rowena Mulcahy, former Director General of the Law Society of Ireland Mary Keane, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Chief Executive Shirley Coulter, HSE General Manager Deirdre O’Keeffe, and professor of law and UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of people with disabilities Gerard Quinn have been appointed as ordinary members of the board. Former Examiner of Titles for the Property Registration Authority Liz Pope has been named as Acting CEO. Upon the appointments, O’Brien said: “The expertise of the appointed board members and the prospective chair will provide vital input to the strategic

oversight of Tailte Éireann. As well as having collective responsible for the long-term sustainability of the body, these non-executive board members will bring an independent judgement to bear on issues of performance, resources, key appointments, and standards of conduct.”

He added: “They will play an essential role in guiding and advising the Chief Executive in relation to the performance

by Tailte Éireann of its functions.”

Regarding McGarry’s selection as prospective chair, O’Brien said: “David has significant experience in strategic development, change management, transformation, business planning and analysis, financial management, digitisation, and governance.

“He will lead the provision of valuable support by the board to the management team of Tailte Éireann as they look to integrate and exploit synergies between the various divisions of the new organisation, through the use of technology and better data management opportunities across the functional areas.”

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Conference report

Margaret Attridge and Claire Lyons, Uisce Éireann.

Soumeya Madani, Xylem Water Solutions and Joan Carles Guardiola, IDRICA speaking with attendees at the Xylem stand.

Sébastien Mouret, EurEau.

Ash Arora, Atkins Global with Chris Boon, Jacobs.

Delegates visit the Hydromarque exhibition stand.

Mary Kelly-Quinn, University College Dublin; Niall Gleeson, Uisce Éireann; Evelyn McAuliffe, Jacobs; Jillian Bolton, Jacobs and Sébastien Mouret, EurEau.

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Angela Ryan, Uisce Éireann; Conor Murphy, Maynooth University; Sinead McCoy, An Taisce; Anthony Coleman, Tipperary County Council; Jillian Bolton, Jacobs and Eimear Cotter, EPA.

The Water Ireland Conference, held in partnership with Uisce Éireann and sponsored by Jacobs and Xylem Water Solutions, recently took place on Wednesday, 19 April in the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise. This conference brought together all the key stakeholders from across the water services sector on the island of Ireland to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

The 300 delegates in attendance heard from speakers, both visiting and local, from organisations including the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; EurEau; Jacobs; Xylem Water Solutions; Commission for Regulation of Utilities; Maynooth University; Environmental Protection Agency and Tipperary County Council.

To keep up to date with next year’s event please email info@eolasmagazine.ie.

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Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Environment and climate report

Sponsored by

environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Environment and Climate Minister Eamon Ryan TD: ‘Government will continue to lead on climate action’ Minister for the Environment and Climate Eamon Ryan TD responds to questions from eolas Magazine relating to Ireland’s journey towards the national climate objective; reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 51 per cent by 2030 and achieving a climate neutral economy by 2050.

In the context of the recently published Synthesis Report of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), how can Ireland’s national climate objective be met with adequate and timely action?

Climate action is the most pressing long-term global challenge of our time 30

and is a significant priority for the Government of Ireland. Through our strengthened climate legislation, the Programme for Government, and our annually updated Climate Action Plan, the introduction of economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings, we have set ourselves the ambition of halving Ireland’s

greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade and becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 established a legally binding framework with clear targets and commitments set in law to ensure we achieve our national, EU and international climate

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

environment and climate report

“Climate action is the most pressing long-term global challenge of our time and is a significant priority for the Government of Ireland.”

Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan TD goals and obligations in the near and long term.

We are determined that Ireland will play its full part in EU and global efforts to stop climate change and, in so doing, harness the opportunities and rewards that will come from moving quickly to a low-carbon society.

Ireland, like many other countries, faces significant challenges in meeting its national climate objectives. To achieve these objectives, Ireland needs to take action across a number of key areas:

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adapt to the impacts of climate change, which will include: the development of flood defences, the protection of coastal areas and the development of new water management systems; and

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increase public awareness of the importance of acting on climate change.

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reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51 per cent by 2030;

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invest in renewable energy to meet our energy needs;

While Ireland’s national climate objective is undeniably ambitious, it currently remains among the countries with the highest per-capita emissions. To what extent are all sectors of the economy undertaking a fair share of action to decouple economic growth and emissions?

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improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, transport, and industry;

Delivering on this ambition will only work if we all come together in a

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environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

strengthened social contract for climate action, working towards real solutions that are meaningful, inclusive, fair, and accessible. Climate action is not all about challenges, but about realising the opportunities that a clean, sustainable environment and society will offer in a way that is fair for everyone. Every sector, every community, every person has a role to play.

Climate Action Plan 2023 has a greater focus on system change. The Government recognises that it is important that the systems that shape where we live or how we build, how we work or get around, how we shop or produce food, do the heavy lifting. We need local government to change; we need the public sector to change; we need industries and key economic sectors to change.

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produce, consume, and design our goods and services. What opportunities could such changes unlock in relation to employment, innovation, and economic success?

Reducing our dependence on fossil fuel and transitioning to our own natural resources is good for our collective community wealth. There are many exciting opportunities that arise from the transition to a carbon neutral society and economy: new sustainable careers; warmer more energy-efficient homes; better travel options; more sustainable consumer choice; more liveable towns and cities; cleaner air and water; and a better environment for future generations.

This is a national endeavour that will require a positive, sustained engagement from people across all communities, all walks of life and all sectors.

The transition to a low-carbon economy will create new job opportunities in industries such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation. It will also lead to the creation of new industries focused on carbon capture, storage, waste reduction, and sustainable agriculture.

Compliance with the Sectoral Emissions Ceilings requires radical changes in the way we

Meeting emissions ceilings requires significant innovation and the development of new technologies.

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

The move away from a reliance on fossil fuels will create a more sustainable economic system with reduced costs for business and increase competitiveness in the global market. Furthermore, reducing the risks associated with climate change such as extreme weather events will mean lower costs for businesses and the State.

How can the Government ensure a just transition whereby costs are shared equitably, and existing socioeconomic inequalities are not compounded?

The Government understands that some sectors and communities will be more impacted than others by the move to a more sustainable and low-carbon society, and that we will need to help people with the costs of the transition.

Delivering a just transition is based on recognising the transformational level of change required to meet these targets and having a shared understanding that the transition must be fair, and just, and that the costs are shared equitably. Our climate policies, therefore, seek to protect the most vulnerable. A just transition requires a framework to structure how Ireland’s economy and society will transition to a low carbon future.

Important elements of this are already in place in Ireland. Strong climate governance and progressive policies contained in this Climate Action Plan are enabling Ireland to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The National Dialogue on Climate Action (NDCA) has just transition at its core. The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) will continue to provide strategic advice, research, and analytical support for a just transition.

We are developing an enterprise, education, and training system that is

responsive, targeted, and effective, and we are committed to ensuring that our carbon taxation policies are progressive by complementing future increases with targeted increases in social welfare and other initiatives to address fuel poverty.

The Government will continue to engage with people, ensuring that they are empowered to take the actions needed to decarbonise all sectors of the economy and secure a greener future for people and the planet.

We have made just transition a central consideration in our climate policy by explicitly recognising and aligning it with our policy framework through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021; the adoption of the just transition framework; the integration of just transition into the NDCA; and the planned establishment of a Just Transition Commission.

Will the full implementation of the Climate Action Plan be sufficient to halve Ireland’s emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050?

The Midlands region is the first in Ireland to directly experience the negative impacts of the transition away from fossil fuels, with the ending of peat extraction for power generation. The EU Just Transition Fund Programme along with national investment, will deliver €169 million in investment to the region in the period to 2030.

Reflecting on the National Dialogue on Climate Action programme in 2022, how successful has the Government been in cultivating enhanced citizen understanding of the need for climate action? How can government engage ‘hard to reach’ communities?

Delivering on our climate ambition requires that the Government and citizens come together to create and implement solutions to climate challenges. A comprehensive programme of engagement activities and research was delivered under the National Dialogue on Climate Action in 2022. This Dialogue will inform and support a strengthened social contract between the Government and the Irish people around climate action.

environment and climate report

“Our potential to be climate leaders is huge: realising this potential must be our shared purpose.”

The Climate Action Plan sets out ambitious and challenging targets for reducing emissions. The full implementation of the plan will be sufficient to halve Ireland emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero by no later than 2050. The plan’s success will depend on developments in key sectors of the economy such as transport, agriculture, and energy; factors such as the rate of technological innovation, global economic conditions; and societal attitudes towards climate change. Ultimately, the plan’s success will require a sustained and collective effort from all stakeholders, including government, industry, and society as a whole.

To what extent does the Government possess sufficient political will to take the necessary steps to deliver the decarbonisation of the Irish economy?

The Government will continue to lead on climate action, to provide support and direction, and to introduce the system changes that will make the transformation as smooth and successful as possible. We can be good at this, and we will be. Our potential to be climate leaders is huge: realising this potential must be our shared purpose.

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Sustainability is everybody’s business.

environment and climate report

The illusion of progress is comforting and more dangerous than no progress at all

In the 12 months since the last eolas climate report, a number of important and critical successes have been achieved, writes Stephen Prendiville, Head of Sustainability at EY Ireland.

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sustainability and decarbonisation strategies. In addition, green public procurement rules are about to be launched, and there is more to come in the way of strategy and roadmaps for various sectors and subsectors of the economy. Globally, we had agreements on biodiversity protection, protection of our oceans, agreement on the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27, and more.

In Ireland, we set our sectoral breakdown of the carbon budgets and issued the Climate Action Plan 2023, the first plan fully aligned with our carbon budgets. ZEVI has been set up to drive the electrification of our transport sector and major public bodies have developed 34

In the corporate world, reporting obligations from the EU (EU Taxonomy, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Sustainable Finance Reporting Directive, etc.), UK, and the US, have placed significant pressure on corporate c-suites and finance functions to understand, collect, track, and report various climate and sustainability matters, with some rules kicking into full force in 2023.

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Yet, despite the expectation that the spike in energy prices and the threats of global economic slowdowns might curb emissions, emissions were up in 2022 in Ireland and many other countries. We have also learned that the Amazon rainforest experienced increased deforestation rates year-on-year, despite pledges to the contrary, and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland has advised us that we have lost over 50 per cent of our native plants this past 20 years.

All of this is occurring against the backdrop of even more extreme and frequent weather events. Every continent has seen major floods, droughts, hurricanes, and typhoons, resulting in the loss of countless lives,

“Our carbon budgets are effectively our minimum targets for decarbonising our economy. Two years into our first five-year carbon budget, there is little reduction in our emissions levels and the likelihood is that we will miss our minimum target in this budget period.” and costing billions of euros in the past 12 months alone. According to the Global Report on Food Crises 2022, levels of hunger in 2021 surpassed all previous records, with close to 193 million people acutely food insecure and in need of urgent assistance across 53 countries/territories. This represents an increase of nearly 40 million people compared to the previous high reached in 2020.

Despite these challenges we must

Honing in on the connection between climate change and food security, we can see that environmental impacts pose a long-term threat. A 2°C temperature increase correlates to an expected 20 per cent decline of water availability for irrigation and other uses.

Let us bear this in mind when our current trajectory suggests a 2.6°C increase by the end of this century.

Every degree of warming will lead to between 10 per cent and 25 per cent loss in global yields of rice, maize, and wheat.

progress towards a more sustainable

remain committed to realising change. I am optimistic for what we can achieve in the next 12 months. The foundations for significant progress have been laid. The collective of the willing are coming together and are showing their commitment to advancing radical change.

The solutions we are looking for to future for all will not be found in reports or excel spreadsheets, it lies within our business community, our local communities and each of us as individuals.

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Corporately, we learned that various “sustainability indices” were tantamount to a future promise rather than a reflection on the actual sustainability performance of some entities and we hear that many companies have taken to reviewing and weakening their goals and resorting to green hushing (no longer publishing what they are doing for fear of reprisals).

environment and climate report

Reforms of the European Emission Trading System, and the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism scheduled for October 2023, are bringing the cost of carbon into stark relief. So too are investors and lenders, asking hard questions on the resilience and survivability of organisations in a decarbonised and sustainable future.

The business ecosystem has needed to react to customer and consumer pressures, promising more shelf space for low emissions items at the expense of high emissions items. We have seen corporates engage with their supply chains, to strike new terms and conditions incorporating sustainability metrics and goals. Regulators in advertising standards are tightening up the rules to address the issue of greenwashing, with a hope that a stronger hand will enhance consumer confidence and protect those businesses that are making genuine efforts. At COP27, various significant philanthropic backers launched the Climate Trace, a satellite and AI-driven visualisation database of emissions by asset source. The tool was in equal parts welcomed as a new era of transparency and accountability, highlighting a real sense of urgency.

E: sustainability@ie.ey.com W: www.ey.com/ie/sustainability

Our carbon budgets are effectively our minimum targets for decarbonising our economy. Two years into our first fiveyear carbon budget, there is little reduction in our emissions levels and the likelihood is that we will miss our minimum target in this budget period.

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Credit: Uwe Hiksch

environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

CAP23: Annex of Actions In March 2023, the Government approved specific actions required to implement the targets set out in Climate Action Plan 2023. eolas Magazine outlines the high-level actions indicated from 2023 to 2025 across a range of sectors.

By the end of 2023, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) intends to publish a long-term climate strategy, alongside a five-year assessment report on climate change, being led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

These are some of the high-level actions included in the annex of actions in Climate Action Plan 2023, which overarch specific actions outlined for individual sectors.

Alongside a host of actions for research and innovation, which range from a review of the national coordination and governance structures for

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national environmental research through to a report assessing the optimal investments/pathways for citizen wishing to reduce energy-related emissions, the plan also details significant governance developments.

Included in governance actions to be taken in 2023 is not only the Department’s development of a monitoring and reporting system to track the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set out in the Climate Action Plan, but also the establishment of a range of taskforces, all of which DECC will sit on, with a focus on specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that requires cross-government collaboration.

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Just transition

Built environment

According to the Annex of Actions, a Just Transition Commission should be in place by the second quarter of 2023, and by the end of the year the sectoral emissions ceiling for the LULUCF sector will be approved by government and in place.

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Develop and publish a roadmap, under the auspices of the Heat and Built Environment Delivery Taskforce, to phase out fossil fuel heating systems in all buildings (Q4 2023)

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Implement a national awareness and demand generation campaign for residential retrofit (Q4 2023)

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Implement the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (Q1 2023)

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Publish new standards and documents for retrofit (Q4 2023)

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Publish a National Heat Policy Statement (Q3 2023)

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Publish Geothermal Policy Statement (Q2 2023)

Some of the key actions for specific sectors are outlined below:

Electricity

guidance

Transport •

Convene National Sustainable Mobility Stakeholder Forum (Q2 2023)

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Publish National Demand Management Strategy (Q4 2023)

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Publish a high-powered charging strategy (Q4 2023)

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Publish draft National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels (Q4 2023)

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Publish a renewable electricity spatial policy framework (Q3 2023)

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Publish a roadmap for the development and implementation of regional renewable electricity strategies (Q4 2023)

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Prepare new draft wind energy guidelines for onshore renewables (Q4 2023)

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Publish a system-wide plan for the delivery of ORE in Ireland (Q2 2023)

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Publish updated Interconnection Policy (Q2 2023)

Introduce a National Fertiliser Database (Q2 2023)

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Develop a slurry additive to reduce manure methane (Q4 2023)

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Deliver a National Biomethane Strategy (Q3 2023)

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Complete and Publish Electricity Demand Side Strategy and Implementation Plan (Q4 2023)

Industry •

Complete the 2023 Annual Review of the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (Q4 2023)

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Prepare a decarbonisation roadmap for industrial heat based on the recommendations of the SEAI National Heat Study (Q4 2023)

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Conduct feasibility assessment on carbon capture storage (Q4 2023)

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Publish new Green Public Procurement Strategy and Action Plan (Q3 2023)

environment and climate report

Following approval by the Government of the Public Sector Climate Action Strategy 20232025 in March 2023, aimed at delivering at least a 51 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 50 per cent improvement in public sector energy efficiencies by 2030, other public sector actions include the development and delivery of the HSE Climate Action and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2050, implementation of Commercial Semi-State Climate Action Framework, and development and delivery of local authority climate action plans.

Agriculture

Land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) •

Develop, assess, and adopt as appropriate the new Forestry Programme 2023-2027 (Q2 2023)

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Launch the CAP Strategic Plan and include a cover crop measure (Q1 2023)

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Commission a review of all peatland restoration work carried out across Ireland by different government agencies, organisations, NGOs and others (Q4 2023)

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Publication of Phase 1 of the Land Use Review (evidential review) and commence Phase 2 (policies, measures and actions) (Q1 2023)

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Sustainability is everybody’s business.

environment and climate report

The marine environment •

Establish the new Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (Q2 2023)

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Adopt a statutory Marine Planning Policy Statement and develop Marine Planning Guidelines to support decision making by An Bord Pleanála (Q4 2023)

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Progress at pace the designation of marine Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Area sites, prioritised in line with the Government decisions (Q4 2023)

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Progress the mapping of all Irish offshore waters through the INFOMAR Programme (Q4 2023)

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Finalise and launch the new National Marine Research and Innovation Strategy – Ocean Knowledge 2030 (Q4 2023)

The circular economy •

Publish a Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy and promote the circular economy (Q4 2023)

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Establish a Circular Economy Innovation Scheme (Q4 2023)

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Develop and implement a new Regional Waste Management Plans (Q3 2023)

International climate action Beyond domestic policy, the CAP 2023 annex of actions also includes proposed actions around international climate policy. The plan commits to scale up international climate finance by providing at least €225 million per year in climate finance to developing countries by 2025, monitored through the delivery of annual climate finance reporting to the EU and Ireland’s annual climate finance report.

By Q2 2023, the Department of Foreign Affairs aims to publish the second National Strategy for Ireland’s engagement with small island developing states and says that it hoped to conclude an ambitious legally binding instrument on marine conservation in the high seas under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Adaptation The Government has identified updating the 2018 National Adaptation Framework as a priority for 2023. By Q3 2022, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications aims to publish a draft set of indicators for an existing adaptation sector and a methodology on the use of indicators in national adaptation planning and sectoral guidelines.

CAP 2023 has not changed the target set out in CAP 2021 for 2030, however, it highlights the immense scale of the challenge and the implementation of carbon budget has focused minds on near term action rather than a look out to the end of the decade.

The volume and scale of the actions outlined in the plan for the year ahead are evidence of the complexity of what will be required if Ireland is to reach net zero by 2050. Public sector resources and determination for early implementation will determine how secure the pathway to 2050 is.

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environment and climate report

How AWS is helping Irish organisations achieve their sustainability goals report commissioned by AWS, the firm found that migrating compute workloads to AWS across Europe could decrease greenhouse gas emissions equal to the footprint of millions of households. In addition, businesses could potentially reduce the carbon emissions of an average workload by up to 96 per cent when AWS reaches its goal of purchasing 100 per cent of its energy from renewable sources.

To that end, I am pleased to report that AWS is on track to powering its operations, including those in Ireland, with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025 — five years ahead of our 2030 commitment, and that means we are making significant progress against our Climate Pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Meeting the Government’s obligation to reduce emissions by 51 per cent by 2030 and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 will require close collaboration between industry, citizens and the public sector over the next two Advertorial

decades, writes Mark Finlay, Head of Public Sector, Ireland, Amazon Web Services.

Any sustainability strategy to meet these targets should involve the cloud. As Michael McGrath TD, in his previous position as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, said: “Organisations should no longer decide whether to move to cloud for new or existing systems. The decision to make now is what, how and when to move to cloud, which can offer a step change in 40

carbon efficiency, security and value for money.”

According to the global research firm 451 Research, businesses in Europe can reduce their energy use by nearly 80 per cent when they run their applications on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud instead of operating their own data centres. In a

Our focus on sustainability, of course, extends to the work we are doing with our customers. In Ireland and beyond, we are working with a spectrum of commercial, non-profit and public sector organisations to meet the Government’s legally binding ambitions.

Through our partnership with EnergyCloud and Clúid Housing, for example, 1,000 Irish homes will be supplied with free hot water using surplus renewable energy from the Irish grid, powered by AWS. Then there is the Tallaght District Scheme, which will provide heat recycled from the AWS Tallaght Data Centre to 47,000m2 of public sector buildings, 3,000m2 of commercial space and 135 affordable rental apartments.

During the scheme’s first phase, 1,600 tonnes of carbon per annum is projected to be saved.

Meanwhile, in the UK, we are partnering with the Natural History Museum to build a digital twin to store, enrich, and

Waste-to-energy continues to play a vital role in energy recovery

Events of the past year have sharply exposed the precariousness of Ireland’s security of energy supply, as oil and natural gas prices have skyrocketed.

Simultaneously, the country is continuing to grapple with the challenge of reducing carbon emissions while striving to meet legally binding climate change targets and circular economy ambitions.

Against this backdrop, the waste-to-

fuels, ensuring a more secure and

energy sector is continuing to play a

sustainable energy system. Energy is

vital role in the recovery of energy and

harnessed to reliably and sustainably

valuable materials that cannot be

generate 90MW of electricity that is

reused or recycled from residual (black

delivering power to over 140,000 homes

bin) waste.

and business around the country.

The treatment of indigenous waste as a

In addition to generating electricity,

resource to generate energy, over 50

valuable metals are recovered from the

per cent of which is renewable, has the

ash generated by the waste-to-energy

added benefit of enabling Ireland to

process, most of which is then reused

reduce its reliance on imported fossil

by the construction industry.

environment and climate report

As the representative body for the waste-to-energy sector in Ireland, CEWEP is committed to supporting national policy objectives designed to enhance the State’s security of energy supply and the transition to a circular economy.

This involves highlighting how policy can be improved upon in order to create a more sustainable and prosperous future for the country and its citizens.

Enhancing policy with respect to levies on waste recovery and disposal, national waste management planning, preventing the curtailment of electricity from the grid, and the position of wasteto-energy within net zero carbon and circularly economy strategies will be critical to this.

Currently, there are two waste-to-energy facilities in Ireland, located in Dublin and Meath, that are pursuing ambitious plans to ensure a better tomorrow. In the coming years, Dublin Waste-toEnergy in Poolbeg will act as the heat source for Dublin City Council’s planned district heating network, while Indaver’s facility in Meath is exploring how it can produce hydrogen from surplus energy it produces when curtailed from the electricity grid.

CEWEP Ireland believes that waste-toenergy offers massive untapped potential that can realise many positive outcomes, that we are committed to working towards with our stakeholders.

S: www.twitter.com/CEWEPIreland S: www.linkedin.com/company/cewepireland/ E: jkeaney@cewepireland.com W: www.cewepireland.com

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compare urban biodiversity and environmental data. The objective? To enable scientists and researchers to develop solutions to the global climate emergency.

environment and climate report

We also worked with Swindon Borough Council to improve the way its citizens can report the illegal dumping of waste—and the time and resources spent by the council to clear it up. By using AWS solutions over just three months, the council’s average clean-up time has fallen from 10 days to just four, saving 2,137 staff hours and £3,000 per year in associated fuel costs.

Taking a closer look at AWS solutions for sustainability Many of these successes were shared at our first AWS Sustainability Conference in Ireland, held on 21 February 2023. There, representatives from public sector and commercial organisations gathered to learn more about how the AWS Cloud and AWS tools and best practices can drive sustainability initiatives.

The first AWS Sustainability Conference in Ireland, held on 21 February 2023.

AWS is on track to powering its

Some of the solutions spotlighted included: •

•

•

Sustainability is one pillar of the AWS Well-Architected Framework, which describes key concepts, design principles, and architectural best practices for designing and running workloads in the cloud. The sustainability pillar covers the shared responsibility model for sustainability, understanding the impact of personal actions, and maximising resource utilisation to reduce downstream impact; Once infrastructure is built in the AWS Cloud, the AWS carbon footprint tool can provide a detailed view of the carbon emissions associated with the use of AWS products and services; The Amazon Sustainability Data Initiative (ASDI) helps researchers, scientists, and innovators around the world advance sustainabilityrelated research. The programme provides free access to important scientific data that can otherwise be hard for researchers to access or analyse. It also provides cloud grants and technical expertise to innovators; AWS Data Exchange makes it easy to find, subscribe to, and use thirdparty sustainability-related data in the cloud, including data sets made available via the ASDI and Open Data Sponsorship Program;

with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025 — five years ahead of our 2030 commitment, and that means we are making significant progress against our climate pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

•

•

ESG data is important for organisations obliged to disclose ESG reporting from 2025. AWS Data Exchange provides access to over 75 ESG data products, including third party scores, raw companylevel ESG metrics and reporting frameworks from partners; and Hosted and co-developed by AWS along with the Linux Foundation’s OS-Climate and other partners, the OS-Climate Data Commons service helps businesses and governments understand how climate change will impact their assets and operations, and how to quantify and manage climate-related risks.

Conclusion Sustainability is now a crucial component of organisational strategy throughout Ireland and around the world.

Through its partnerships, tools and initiatives, AWS is helping organisations to address their carbon reduction challenges, achieve their sustainability goals and contribute to a more sustainable future.

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•

operations, including those in Ireland,

If you want to learn more about how AWS Cloud can help your organisation achieve its sustainability goals, please contact the Irish AWS Public Sector team.

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environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Climate adaptation in Europe Senior Expert for DG CLIMA at the European Commission and Head of Secretariat for the Climate Adaptation Mission, Johannes Klumpers, speaks to eolas Magazine about ‘the mission’.

“The word mission is now used more like the mission to the moon; taking initiative to gather all kinds of thoughts and financial resources to work with as many people as possible to progress in a certain field,” Klumpers says.

“That is what missions are about and it exists for the first time in the current Multi-Annual Financial Framework of the European Union. It is intended to be a bridge between the worlds of research and innovation and those that want to use that research and innovation to actually solve those big societal questions.”

Horizon Europe In 2021, the European Commission launched five missions as part of Horizon Europe, its research and innovation funding programme, with four of those – adaptation to climate change, ocean and waters, climate-neutral and smart cities, and a Soil Deal for Europe – centred on climate and the environment. The missions deviate from the Commission’s usual tact of coordinating actions at the national level among member states and sees the Commission directly reaching out to regions and local actors.

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“It is those that we want to help in this mission,” Klumpers explains. “That is a little bit unusual for the European Commission, because we do not usually reach out to regions and municipalities. We do not have much experience with this, and it is not a sign of distrust at the national level, but we are doing it because the local actors are the ones who have to do the things that we call adaptation to climate change. It is in local areas where decisions need to be taken and frequently implemented when it comes to adaptation.”

Adaption Strategy The EU’s Adaptation Strategy contains within it the goal of the EU being a “climate-resilient society, fully adapted to the unavoidable impacts of climate change” by 2050, with its objectives including smarter, faster, and more systemic adaptation and stepping up international action. The approach to climate adaptation is broken down into three phases: build-up (2021-2023), where the support system for the approach will be set up through initiatives such as the Mission Charter; full deployment (2024-2027), where the first

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

“

”

Johannes Klumpers

recommendations on how to reach a climate-resilient Europe will be made; and consolidation (2028-2030), where results will be consolidated and the focus will shift towards the implementation of large scale demonstration of the lessons learned in the previous two phases.

Klumpers further explains that the three objectives specific to the adaptation mission are increasing knowledge of climate risks in each region, adapting planning so that that infrastructural developments taking place today take into account the climate of 50 years from now, and the implementation of these plans on the ground through financial and conceptual support for the delivering bodies.

In 2021 and 2022, the Commission commenced 13 actions with a total funding of €255 million, ranging from large-scale demonstrators of climate resilience creating cross-border value to boosting the sponge function of landscapes as a means of improving climate-resilience in water management.

“Adaptation is a very difficult animal because basically everything in our lives will have to adapt to what climate change brings with it,” he says. “There are some areas where we have defined what we are working on. We want to favour nature-based solutions because these usually provide benefits to other areas such as biodiversity and mitigation. Usually, there is no maladaptation involved here, meaning there are no negative effects on other aspects. We want to do this by thinking of critical infrastructures, health, and wellbeing, providing testing solutions, water management, and land use and food systems.”

environment and climate report

We want to favour nature-based solutions because these usually provide benefits to other aspects to other areas such as biodiversity and mitigation.

Cascading funds will be utilised for some of these projects, meaning that the Commission will issue a single grant to a consortium, which will then issue a call for applications to disperse the grant among European projects. This will be done as part of the Commission’s objective to reach local actors, an objective that will be further empowered by its Mission Charter, to which 301 organisations from 25 EU member states have now signed up.

The Mission Charter is an open invitation with no deadline; currently, Donegal, Galway, Sligo, Louth, and Offaly county councils have become charter signatories, and Ennis, County Clare has become a friend organisation.

“The interest is not the same throughout Europe,” Klumpers remarks. “Ireland is quite well represented; France, Spain, and Poland are well represented and others less so.”

Affecting change Concluding, the Head of Secretariat for the Climate Adaptation Mission reflects on the importance of reaching the local level and affecting change at the level of an informed citizenry. “For adaptation, you need buy-in. This process is not just about bringing people along, but about listening to them because maybe they have the best ideas.

“The Mayor of Maribor in Slovenia told us recently that he thinks it is very important to have citizens onboard because they are the only continuous factor. Politicians change every four years and there is no guarantee that whoever wins the next election will have the same approach as those before them.”

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Cyber-smart and energy efficient in times of crisis As we witness rising energy prices putting a strain on households, ESET looks at some cybersecurity aspects of planning a sustainable future and ways to reduce the power consumption of electronic gadgets.

Most national governments have committed to the Paris Agreement, and therefore need to reach targets for reduced carbon emissions and the implementation of smart technologies in urban areas has a large part to play in achieving those goals. However, where there are complex, interconnected, computer-controlled networks of thousands of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and devices, there is work ahead for cybersecurity practitioners, and increased costs for the end-user.

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As western countries began the journey to carbon neutrality in earnest, the average consumer’s energy bill started increasing and it was given an even greater push by EU’s energy sanctions imposed on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, which has sent energy bills in many countries skyrocketing.

Depending on the extent and type of support their governments decided to offer, the impact differed among countries, but whatever the particular circumstances, there is a renewed effort to find new ways to cut down on energy

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bills, not least because household spending on other items is also surging due to inflation. Our increasing reliance on electronic gadgets is an additional drain on electricity, so that would seem like a natural place to start.

Connectivity and future of work The number of connected devices in our homes has soared over recent years.

Before the Covid-induced surge, we could count only laptops and desktop PCs, smartphones and tablets among the items regularly plugged in at home.

But now we can also add a huge range of smart home equipment including AI voice assistants, smart TVs and connected doorbells. It is estimated that the average European household now has around 17 of these, rising to 20 in the US. We are also using them more, thanks to the emergence of the hybrid workplace.

Where once our desktops might have been switched off most of the week as we worked from the office, now we

might have our PC, laptop and mobile device all plugged in while we work from home (WFH) several days per week.

Multiply that by additional members of the household and the costs start to add up.

The European Union has also been very active in implementing smart city technologies, among other IoT-driven projects, with many set up under the aegis of its research and innovation program called Horizon 2020, which have vast implications for the sectors they affect – smart cites and society, agriculture, healthcare, ocean and water management, food, manufacturing, and many other aspects of lives.

Unfortunately, everything does not always go smoothly. ESET researchers have analysed malware that was used in several attacks against the energy industry and ultimately caused power outages. This can have major effects on people’s lives, as unreliable power can cause severe problems.

Foods and medicines start to decay rapidly when refrigeration and freezers

do not work. Hospitals must reduce power consumption to the essentials, petrol pumps and smart vehicle charging stations shut down, traffic light systems and street lighting turn off, buildings start to over-heat, or over-cool, electronic payment does not work, wages may not be paid, ATMs do not dispense cash, you cannot recharge your phone or your laptop. Cybersecurity must therefore be an integral part of energy sustainability, from the planning phase onwards.

Saving on energy costs Many households will be taking steps such as improving insulation and some may even invest in their own power generation via solar panels and domestic wind turbines, but for most, the quickest way to save will come from adapting their use of household appliances.

mode that a monitor reverts to means it typically uses around 0.5W, 4kWh per year. The older the device, the more power it is likely to use, as it may not have needed to be compliant with regulations, such as the EcoDesign Directive in the European Union.

Using a smart meter to monitor how much energy is being used in the house in real time is recommended. Smart meters are a boon to utility companies as well as consumers and businesses, allowing precise monitoring of utility consumption. Such meters can also indicate how much generated power from own wind or solar is being put into the grid and the rest of the grid depends on that being accurate to do proper load balancing and generation.

ESET regularly monitors its own energy consumption and waste production in cooperation with the Institute of Circular Economy to reduce the company’s overall impact on the environment. At a time of geopolitical uncertainty and environmental crisis, saving money is not the only benefit of cyber-smart planning and reducing energy consumption. It can also help contribute to national energy security and save the planet from extra carbon emissions, which is beneficial to everyone.

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For instance, once a laptop or mobile device is fully charged, it is better to unplug it and use the battery. Using laptops, rather than desktop computers, uses less energy. Screen savers on devices can use extra electricity. Using energy efficient devices with Energy Star accreditation is claimed to save between 25 per cent to 50 per cent of energy compared to regular machines. Even when devices are switched off, they may still be using electricity simply by being plugged in. This ‘vampire power’ could add an estimated 5-10 per cent to monthly utility bills. The standby power

environment and climate report

“Smart meters are a boon to utility companies as well as consumers and businesses, allowing precise monitoring of utility consumption.”

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environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

IPCC report ‘last warning’ for humanity In some mid-latitude and semi-arid regions, and in the South American monsoon region, the annual hottest day temperature is projected to increase by between 50 per cent and 100 per cent more than the global average the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Synthesis Report outlines.

Posing the stark facts along with suggestions for global policymakers, the IPCC Synthesis Report, published in March 2023, covers global temperature trends, what is causing them, and where action needs to be taken.

UN Secretary General António Guterres has stated that the report is the “last warning” for humanity. “Our world is at a crossroads – and our planet is in the crosshairs. We are nearing the point of no return, of overshooting the internationally agreed limit of 1.5oC global warming.”

Reacting to the news, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, said: “The science clearly shows that the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions are fossil energy use, unsustainable land use and land-use change, and unsustainable patterns of consumption and 46

production. Effective international cooperation on targets and sectoral transformation is critical to reduce these emissions and to restrict global warming.”

Ryan’s takeaway from the publication of the report was to reiterate the measures being taken under the Climate Action Plan including the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51 per cent by 2030, and an objective of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Risks and impacts The IPCC has a ‘medium’ level of confidence in projecting that every region in the world is going to be adversely affected by climate change, thus emphasising the importance of global responses to

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Adverse impacts from human-caused climate change will continue to intensify

environment and climate report

Credit: IPCC

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environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

reduce emissions and subsequent temperature rises.

Unavoidable, irreversible, or abrupt changes

However, it is likely that even if there is full implementation of UN member states’ ongoing climate plans, that they will serve as a mitigating, rather than reversing, factor in preventing global temperature rise. In other words, temperatures are destined to rise since too much damage has already been done, but that with the right kind of global mobilisation the rise in temperatures can be limited.

The IPCC has a high level of confidence in predicting that sea level rise is unavoidable, lasting between centuries and millennia, due to continuing deep ocean warming and ice sheet melt. Sea levels will remain elevated for thousands of years, it suggests.

On the impact side, the IPCC report states: “Hazards and associated risks expected in the near term include an increase in heatrelated human mortality and morbidity (high confidence), food-borne, water-borne, and vector-borne diseases (high confidence), and mental health challenges (very high confidence), flooding in coastal and other low-lying cities and regions (high confidence), biodiversity loss in land, freshwater and ocean ecosystems (medium to very high confidence, depending on ecosystem), and a decrease in food production in some regions (high confidence).”

Climate Action Plan 2023 spells out the ways which changes emanating from climate change have manifested themselves in Ireland, including: •

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all seasons have seen a rise in temperature and the annual average surface air temperature has increased by over 0.9°C in the last 120 years;

•

there has been a reduction in the number of frost days and shortening length of the frost season;

•

sea levels around Ireland have risen by between 2 and 3mm per year since the early 1990s; and

•

projections predict a significant reduction in average annual levels of spring and summer rainfall with a substantial increase in the frequency of heavy precipitation events in winter and autumn.

The report further outlines: “Relative to 19952014, the likely global mean sea level rise under the SSP1-1.9 GHG emissions scenario is 0.15-0.23m by 2050 and 0.28-0.55m by 2100; while for the SSP5-8.5 GHG emissions scenario it is 0.20-0.29m by 2050 and 0.631.01m by 2100,” a prediction made with medium confidence.

The report further warns that, “due to deep uncertainty linked to ice-sheet processes, global mean sea level rise above the likely range – approaching 2m by 2100 and in excess of 15m by 2300 under the very high GHG emissions scenario – cannot be excluded”.

“There is medium confidence that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation will not collapse abruptly before 2100, but if it were to occur, it would very likely cause abrupt shifts in regional weather patterns, and large impacts on ecosystems and human activities.”

Mitigation and hope Within Ireland and at a European level, there is confidence that the measures underway are going to help the State to transition its economy in line with the planet’s environmental needs. Whilst Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, acknowledged the challenges raised in the report, he has reiterated that the Climate Action Plan is an adequate response, and that Climate Action Plan 2023 “sets out how Ireland can accelerate the actions that are needed to respond to this crisis, putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development”.

environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

The biodiversity crisis: An EU perspective Brian MacSharry, Head of Biodiversity and Ecosystems at the European Environment Agency (EEA), says that “the narrow focus on economic growth as a measure of progress is incompatible with tackling the biodiversity crisis”.

The importance of biodiversity

The biodiversity crisis: An EU perspective

Working at a European level, MacSharry provides a thorough analysis of biodiversity throughout the continent. “In more intensive agricultural areas, we see that the habitats are generally poorer.

We see some areas – particularly in eastern and southern Europe – which can be generally better due to their different land use,” he states, adding that, “what we are seeing is not a pretty picture”.

“We have the emergence of a better situation in northern Europe. This will change in the next few years with climate change. We have also seen a change in practices in Romania and Bulgaria where land use is becoming somewhat more industrialised.

“The trend going back to the 1880s shows that sea levels and temperatures are clearly going in an upward trajectory, 50

and not in a good way. That means that the oceans are getting more acidic, which is a problem as the shells and skeletons of key elements of the food system, such as pteropods, are being weakened, and will eventually be dissolved as our waters continue to become more acidic.”

Looking at the bigger picture, with a focus on the marine environment, MacSharry outlines the dangers posed to global society if ecosystems continue to collapse at current rates. “The entire fundamentals of the food chain in the marine environment will be changed as a result.

“When that goes, we have to ask ourselves what is going to feed all those other animals in the marine environment.”

MacSharry emphasises the importance of a healthy biodiversity system, and the level of expenditure being produced by the current poor state of biodiversity throughout Europe. “In the EU, 84 per cent of crop species and 78 per cent of our wild flower species depend on animal pollination,” he explains.

“€15 billion of the EU’s annual agricultural output is directly attributed to insect pollinators. If we got rid of our insect pollinators, it would mean that we have to spend €15 billion a year to supplement those resources.”

He further explains: “In terms of valuing biodiversity, our current model of GDP does not take anything I say about biodiversity into account. It is a fundamentally broken model.”

MacSharry points to the Dasgupta Report, which analyses the incompatibility of the current GDPbased economic model with tackling the biodiversity crisis.

The Dasgupta Report states: “Nature’s worth to society – the true value of the various goods and

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

“This is not simply a market failure, it is a broader institutional failure too. Many of our institutions have proven unfit to manage the externalities. Governments almost everywhere exacerbate the problem by paying people more to exploit nature than to protect it, and to prioritise unsustainable economic activities.”

Current initiatives MacSharry believes that the current regulations, directives, legislation, and strategies are necessary but not sufficient for tackling the biodiversity crisis, and that a much bigger problem lies in the implementation of said initiatives.

“At an EU level, one of the biggest drivers is the Biodiversity Strategy, published in 2020.

Having worked in biodiversity for over 20 years, I felt that this strategy was the most ambitious but also simplest strategies I have ever seen.

pointing to the commitment to have a network of 30 per cent of EU maritime area as marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2030, which he describes as “as welcome as it is needed”.

On restoration, MacSharry outlines the importance of a law, rather than a Directive, being used to enforce the measures outlined. “We have seen that when this is arranged on a voluntary basis, it is not working. At a European level, we decided that we needed a new law to sort these things because the number of legislative aspects we had to push for countries was ridiculous.

“The Habitats Directive has been around since 1992 but very few countries have actually fully implemented it. The amount of time going into arbitrating these measures and disputes between countries just shows that it has not been taken seriously across the continent.”

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services it provides – is not reflected in market prices because much of it is open to all at no monetary charge.

Flipping the narrative MacSharry concludes by reiterating his central point on the incompatibility of the GDP-based economic model with solving the biodiversity crisis. “Instead of incremental change we need systemic and transformational change. Nature should not be considered as outside the system but as the fundamental system.

“We need to move away from short-term thinking and shift our mindsets to embrace the long term. The European Green Deal drives this transformative change of strong systemic logic, linking across sectors, society and embracing a longer time horizon,” he asserts.

Heatwaves since the 80s

“It was pretty upfront in what it wanted to achieve. It said that biodiversity was key to the survival of our society, and will form part of the European Green Deal. It was broken down into four key elements: Protection; restoration; transformative change; and the global governance of the oceans.”

He further reiterates the importance of viewing biodiversity targets as qualitative rather than quantitative, 51

environment and climate report

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

State subsidising environmental spending Despite vastly increased environmental ambitions, environmental investment from the private sector remains minimal in Ireland when compared with the private sector outlay of two other EU member states, a report from the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) has found.

The study, published in January 2023, analyses spending in three EU member states between 2010 and 2019. These member states are Ireland, Austria, and Sweden. The data adjusts figures for all three member states to take inflation into account.

Spending on environmental investment by the Irish Government declined throughout the 2010s, with only 2019 seeing spending restored to 2010 levels.

In contrast, the report finds that successive Swedish governments have increasingly invested to tackle climate change, as reflected by the increase in environmental protection funding between 2010 and 2019 which took place – an increase from €1 billion per annum to in the region of €1.9 billion in 2019.

Over the same period, successive governments in Austria have overseen a decrease in environmental protection funding from €1 billion in 2010, to a figure of around €950 million in 2019.

Per head of population, spending in Ireland was “significantly lower” than the spending levels in Sweden and Austria. The report, however, states that “this was explained by the relative lack of corporate investment spend to either produce for market or own use, as governmental expenditure exceeded Swedish and Austrian spending in real terms”.

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Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Breakdown of environmental investment by institutional sector, per head 140 120 100 80

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60 40 20 0 Government

Corporations as specialist and secondary producers Ire land

Austria

Corporations as ancillary producers

Sweden (Source: NERI)

Lower private sector investment The Irish Government spent a significantly higher amount on environmental spending than the governments of Austria and Sweden in 2019, the report outlines.

twentieth of investment spending at under €7. Sweden was the most significant ancillary investment spender in absolute and proportionate terms, at approximately €57 PPP or 30 per cent of overall spending.

The Irish Government spent in the region of €115 per head on environmental investment, compared with €97 per head from the Swedish government, and a comparatively miniscule €10 per head in public spending from the government of Austria.

“Austrian firms invested about €32 PPP per person in the state on the production of environmental protection for their own use, or one-fifth of their total, while Irish firms spent €8 per head; just over 6 per cent of total spending.”

Outlay from corporations, however, is minimal in Ireland when compared with the private sector outlay which took place in Austria and Sweden in 2019, with the two classifications of private sector funding having accounted for only €15 of investment per head in 2019.

Overall findings

The data shows that Ireland’s funding, though low in aggregate, is dominated by investment from general government, which made up nearly 89 per cent of the overall spend in 2019.

The report states: “Austria and Sweden show more significant levels of corporate investment in environmental services. In Austria’s case, corporate investment spending (and spending overall) is dominated by investment from primary and secondary producers, which made up nearly three quarters of the aggregate total at approximately €115 [purchasing power parity] PPP per capita in 2019.

“Spending in this category made up just under one-fifth of Swedish spending at €35 PPP, while in Ireland it was just over a

Concluding, the report explains that “adjusted for price levels per person, Irish spending was lowest, though this was explained by comparatively low levels of corporate spend since government spending was highest in the comparator group”.

It further states: “Sweden was the best performer in terms of trend growth – nearly doubling between 2010 and 2019 – and the real value of investment per person at purchasing power parity. Irish and Austrian data show significant declines with 2019 data only meeting or approaching 2010 levels.”

The overarching conclusion from this report is that the Irish private sector is not, as of 2019, making the necessary environmental investment to bring Ireland into line with its European counterparts, with a much higher cost burden falling onto the Irish Government than those of its fellow EU member states.

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Sustainability is everybody’s business.

environment and climate report

Achieving environmental sustainable development goals

Patrick Paul Walsh, Professor of International Development Studies and Director of UCD’s Centre for Sustainable Development Studies, speaks to eolas Magazine about his secondment to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Ireland’s underperformance compared to European best practice in sustainable development.

Education for sustainable development In his secondment to the SDSN, Walsh says that he has seen “a lot of heads turning in corporates, universities, government departments, and NGOs”, indicating a now-ubiquitous understanding that something must be done to enable and achieve sustainable development goals. “The reality is we all need to upskill and be very open to getting educated around these issues,” he says.

“One of the main things I do in the SDSN is direct the SDG Academy. Going back to 2014, we have been populating edX [the open online course provider provided by Harvard and MIT] with online courses on sustainable development. The good news is that the course that came out a few years ago on 54

nature-based solutions with the UN was trending on edX; sustainability trending was quite remarkable.”

The SDG Academy is the secretariat to Mission 4.7, the seventh target of the UN’s fourth sustainable development goal, which states that “from preschool all the way to the workforce, that there has to be lifelong learning around sustainable development”. The SDG Academy’s educational resources are free and open, and Walsh stresses the importance that they remain so. Its annual report for 2022 is available to read at www.unsdns.org.

“The first thing is we are aware that inside universities and government departments, the curriculum is not available,” he says. “There is an onus on putting an open license on curriculum where it exists, ensuring that it is quality

assured and capable of being disseminated across the world. One of the things that we have come up with is using public libraries as digital highways because they are just wonderful hosts of repositories.

“We have put forward this libraries solution for the dissemination of education materials. Governments all over the world have signed the UNESCO Open Education Resource (OER) Recommendation in 2019, stating that education resources should be free.

We have a solution tool to show governments and academics how to archive things properly and put them through the library systems once you do have a curriculum.”

Walsh states that environmental sustainable goals training will become “much easier” once these resources are in place in libraries and universities, allowing for the upskilling of people in public administration, corporates, schools, HEIs, and NGOs. This is a necessity, Walsh says, “because we have to admit that our knowledge and educational systems are, in general, extremely weak when it comes to education on environmental issues”.

The next step, he says, is engaging in this upskilling and training. “We are setting up online master’s degrees in

Sustainability is everybody’s business.

Ireland’s performance Walsh and his colleagues produced an EPA report, Achieving the Environmental Sustainable Development Targets 2022, on Ireland, its performance in regard to sustainable development goals, and towards developing a framework on achieving such goals. “We decided that it was important for Ireland to have the UN global indicators on the environment,” he says.

“As much as we worked to get the 83 environmental indicators as approved by the UN, Ireland could only get the right methodology and data for about 63 of these. We are not even monitoring some of the issues we are supposed to be addressing, particularly around water and land use.

“We aggregate over indices for each indicator by having the worst country in class and best in class in Europe as the upper and lower bounds and what that gave us was a score between 0 and 100 in a particular indicator. We are not doing badly in some indicators, but in other indicators such as biodiversity, we are near the bottom of the class.

This would ensure an aggregate index created with a geometric mean would have Ireland doing appallingly.”

Overall, Ireland scores a 0.64 out of 1 on Walsh’s ranking, meaning that it is neither among the worst or the best states measured. In the

environment and climate report

partnership with SDSN and we have been running these for two years in UCD and it is fascinating how it is recruiting people over 35 years of age from management and consultancy firms as well as academics,” he says. “These are people who want to upskill and understand sustainable development, meaning sustainable livelihoods, societies, governance, and environment.”

subcategories of target outcomes and means of implementation, Ireland scores 0.56 and 0.35 respectively; its overall score is strengthened by good performance in the linkages subcategory, which is scored 0.88.

“Overall, in terms of best practice, which is not the target of the SDGs, we are 64 per cent towards the front tier of current practice, we are at 43 per cent with the geometric mean, and if you do a hedonic mean, which means you give a lot of weighting to the things that you are poor at, we are really bottom of the class,” Walsh says.

“That means that we have some indicators that are extremely poor. We break up these indicators in terms of outcome, means of implementation, linkages, and restoration, like marine protected areas and land set aside for nature, we are extremely poor in those areas.”

Concluding, Walsh says that the solution lies in returning to his previous point of education as a means of informing institutional reform: “We could have a look at the policies and frameworks of the countries that are performing well as a way of thinking about how we could do something different in Ireland. However the overall message in terms of good governance means addressing three weaknesses: firstly, education, meaning that everyone has to go back to school on this to address a huge knowledge deficit around everyday thinking and planning; secondly we need more environmental data, not just for global reporting, to measure a baseline and improvements; and finally, we have to reform our institutions, not just in government, to ensure we do no harm to nature, but hopefully to generate positive linkages to nature in our everyday activities in our social, economic and political spheres of influence.”

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Building homes, improving lives.

Delivering cost rental housing report

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Credit: Fianna Fáil

delivering cost rental housing report

Building homes, improving lives.

Delivering cost rental housing Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, outlines a new cost rental measure to progress thousands of affordable rental apartments, and progress on enabling local authorities to directly deliver cost rental.

Cost rental housing is at the heart of Housing for All and is a key tool in our fight to make rents more affordable and renting more secure. It is a new form of tenure in Ireland, one where the tenant pays a rent which covers the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the home only, and not one driven by profit.

We often look across to our neighbours in Europe and see how renting there is 58

much more secure, well cost rental is one way we will achieve that here in Ireland. One of the new tenants in City West told me: “It is your home for as long as you want. That makes us really, really happy. We feel secure.” That is exactly what I want to see replicated nationwide.

delivered to date we have seen rents

Rents are targeted at rates which are at least 25 per cent below the local market rent. In the developments we have

Rathdown County Council. The rentals

which are 35 per cent to 50 per cent below the local market rate, for example, in January 2023, work began at Bishop’s Gate development site at Kiltiernan with 72 cost rental homes currently being delivered by Tuath Housing, in partnership with Dún Laoghaire– at Kiltiernan will be available at a 45 per cent decrease on local market rates.

Credit: South Dublin County Council.

Building homes, improving lives.

delivering cost rental housing report

Minister Darragh O’Brien TD along with Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Councillor Emma Murphy; CEO Danny McLoughlin; and CEO of J.J. Rhatigan & Company, Ger Ronayne, at the official sod turning of the first standalone cost rental development by a local authority in Ireland.

We have already approved funding of €90 million for more than 1,000 cost rental homes. I absolutely acknowledge that people will say ‘it is drop in the ocean’ but it is important to remember that we are starting from a base of zero. When I travel around the country and meet tenants in new cost rental homes, I am heartened by what it means for them, and I am determined that we need to significantly scale up delivery, and quicker.

The Government and our Housing for All plan are always alert to how schemes and policies can be refined to adapt to changing circumstances. Rising construction costs and interest rates have impacted on the viability of projects. We have seen this particular pressure around the viability of build-to-rent apartment developments.

To this end, the Government has just approved the development of a new cost rental viability measure. It will take the form of a new €100,000€150,000 cost rental subsidy of the capital cost of building apartments in return for designating those homes specifically as cost rental. This will be open to private developers and the Land Development Agency and targets 5,000 to 6,000 cost rental homes in the near term. The cost rental viability measure is one which I believe will really make an impact on our rental sector.

This new measure comes on top of the changes already made to enable approved housing bodies (AHBs) to apply for additional Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding to alleviate some of the rising costs of construction and finance. The CREL ceiling has been increased from its previous rate of 30 per cent of costs up to 45 per cent on a sliding scale basis. Our AHBs are crucial to our delivery of social and affordable rental homes, and we need to ensure we are doing all we can to assist them.

In addition, for those at risk of homelessness because a landlord intends on selling a property, the Government has developed the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme for tenants in private rental

homes. This is aimed at those who are not in receipt of social housing supports but would be eligible for cost rental. The Housing Agency, in partnership with a local authority, can purchase the property with government support. We are currently moving from an administrative scheme towards a standard ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme. This is key measure in the prevention of homelessness and seeks to protect those who would not otherwise be in receipt of State housing supports.

Finally, the Government and I are examining how to enable a significant expansion of the direct delivery of cost rental by local authorities. Work is currently underway to estimate the impact of the additional lending that would be required. We know that local authorities, along with our AHBs, are the key drivers of housing supply. Turning the sod on the first standalone cost rental development by a local authority in Ireland recently was a huge milestone. 133 cost rental homes being delivered directly by South Dublin County Council will have a huge impact in that local authority area.

Without doubt, I do understand how hard it can be for renters in Ireland. That is why we introduced the various pieces of rent protection legislation; the tenancies of indefinite duration; the extended notice to quit periods; the rules around deposits.

It is why we introduced a €500 renters tax credit which more than 200,000 renters have claimed to date. Those 200,000 people now have €1,000 back in their pocket this year.

But I know there is so much more needed. We want to see more tenants in safe, secure, affordable rental homes, where they are not worried about hanging a picture on the wall. Cost rental will ensure we get there.

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Building homes, improving lives.

delivering cost rental housing report

Delivering social and cost rental homes

Over 40 years of on the ground experience, with insight from diverse tenant communities and service users, gives Respond a unique perspective.

Advertorial

Respond is an Approved Housing Body or housing association delivering social and cost rental homes all around the country. Uniquely they recognised at an early stage in their 40-plus-year history that the provision of services in communities was key to ensuring that they become places where people want to live with support when needed. As a consequence, they are also one of the largest providers of early learning and school age care services in the country, as well as providing family homeless services, day-care for older people, refugee resettlement, and family support services.

High quality, large scale integrated housing developments Respond say their focus is on new 60

construction that will deliver much needed social and cost rental housing adding to the national housing stock.

Over the last five years, Respond has commenced 3,347 homes with a value of just over €1.03 billion. Their current construction schemes range in value from €15 million to €65 million with a total programme value in excess of €1.5 billion.

The organisation has already delivered over 7,000 properties across the country and currently have a further 1,453 homes in construction, 138 of these are cost rental homes. Respond worked with multiple partners to deliver Ireland’s first purpose-built cost rental homes, as part of a mixed tenure development of 155 homes at Enniskerry Road in 2022.

The partnership was an innovative one with Tuath Housing, Dún Laoghaire

Rathdown County Council, the Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Agency and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The scheme subsequently won Best Social Housing Development at the 2022 National Property Awards and the Working in Partnership Award at the 2022 Chartered Institute of Housing Awards.

Respond recently announced construction is underway at one of the largest mixed tenure housing developments to be built in South Dublin for a number of years. The Lisieux Hall mixed tenure development will provide 200 new homes for a total investment of €89,606,633, including 67 cost rental apartments and 133 social apartments. The scheme is being funded through Department of Housing Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) and

Building homes, improving lives.

Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) finance, alongside loans from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA).

Approved housing bodies such as Respond have been recognised within Housing for All for their track record on housing delivery, housing management, and support services. CALF continues to be the main source of facilitating delivery of social housing with the remainder funding, in the case of Respond, coming from the HFA. CALF is currently undergoing refinements to facilitate some of the current risks and challenges in the market pertaining to viability such as inflation and interest rate increases.

A diverse team of leading industry talent Respond know that housing delivery is also a specialist area and the development department reflect this with a multi-disciplinary team of registered architects, quantity surveyors, planners, clerks of works, technicians, and project managers who deal with all aspects of construction and project delivery.

Supporting and maintaining thriving communities When people receive the keys to their new homes from Respond that is the start of a lifelong relationship. Each development is assigned a Tenant

“My family and I are quite honoured to move into such a wonderful new home.

As a student studying architecture, I also have the privilege of appreciating such a beautiful project. Living in such an amazing exemplar is a motivator for me as a student and is something I draw inspiration from.”

Relations Officer who works with tenants so that those homes will become part of a community. The Housing team are also there for people who may need some extra support as well.

Health Institute (GBHI) to deliver what is believed to be a first – a Brain Health Village. This is a pilot project but Respond hope that to use the learnings for all of their tenants.

Alongside this, the Housing team also provide our ‘asset management’ services, addressing maintenance and other related issues. If there are repairs needed, our tenants can call us and that will be arranged.

T: 01 808 7700 E: info@respond.ie W: www.respond.ie

Advertorial

Respond has approximately 350 employees, over half of which are people working in the range of services provided. Respond is on the journey towards becoming a trauma-informed organisation since 2019 and over 250 of our staff were trained in trauma-informed practice (TIP) over the last 18 months.

Throughout the organisation, Respond say they believe engaging in TIP benefits their tenants, service users and staff.

delivering cost rental housing report

Unusually for an Approved Housing Body, Respond directly manage construction. The majority of their delivery is new construction where Respond acquires the site and facilitates financing of construction stage payments. This forward funding model has unlocked sites to deliver new housing which otherwise would have been unviable because of financing costs. Respond say they are now working to initiate construction of an additional 1,350 homes with planning in its existing development pipeline.

As a large social and cost rental housing provider, Respond operates a programme of continuous improvement, proudly calling themselves a listening and learning organisation. The scale of their work provides an opportunity to get involved in some really innovative work.

Respond partner with the Global Brain 61

delivering cost rental housing report

Credit: Clúid Housing

Building homes, improving lives.

Cost rental at scale Delivered by Clúid Housing, the first cost rental houses in the State, at Taylor Hill in Balbriggan, County Dublin, were tenanted in 2021.

Described in Housing for All as “the most radical reform of the Irish rental system in the history of the State”, cost rental housing offers an alternative model to rents based on profit maximisation. Now, however, the difficulty for government is delivering it at scale.

Under the Government’s cost rental scheme, initial rents are set to match the cost of financing, building, managing, and maintaining homes, over a minimum period of 40 years.

Increases in these rent rates will also be linked to annual inflation, “providing greater cost certainty and meaning that the initial cost rents may become even more affordable over time”.

Cost rental is targeted at households with incomes which exceed the threshold for social housing (below a net household income of €53,000) and aims to provide tenants with significantly increased security of tenure. Indeed, once a tenant has occupied a cost rental dwelling for six months, termination of their tenancy can only occur under limited conditions. The intention is that the delivery of cost rental at scale will stabilise the wider rental market.

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Through the provision of “focused funding supports”, government intends to support local authorities, AHBs, and the LDA to provide rental homes “in the order of 25 per cent below market rents”, or, in other words, at least 25 per cent below market rents.

Legislative framework Providing a legislative framework for cost rental homes, Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, details: “In setting, at any particular time, the rent under a cost rental tenancy, a rent shall not be provided for that is greater than the cost rental rent for that dwelling specified in subsection (4).”

Subsection (4) determines that “cost rental rent” means “the initial maximum rent, plus, an amount, calculated in such manner as the Minister may prescribe, to take account of any change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices as published by the

Central Statistics Office, or such other index as the Minister may prescribe, since the dwelling was designated as a cost rental dwelling”.

Context Cost rental in Ireland was first proposed by the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) in its Housing in Ireland: Performance and Policy report, published in December 2004. In that report, NESC referenced the late Jim Kemeny’s distinction between profit renting and cost renting.

Cost renting, NESC outlined, is “a situation in which rents cover only the actual incurred costs of providing the dwelling”. In such scenarios, a maturation process occurs whereby cost rental begins to compete with profit renting and owner occupation.

This materialises in falling real rents and increased waiting lists for cost rental housing.

Conducive to successful social housing schemes in several European countries, including Austria, Denmark, France, Finland, and the Netherlands. Most famously, cost rental is utilised by the Vienna Model. Under the Vienna Model, housing associations are permitted to accrue limited profit.

Credit: Fianna Fáil

Building homes, improving lives.

National housing strategy

During the lifetime of Housing for All, the Government plans to deliver an average of 2,000 cost rental homes per annum with an overall target of 18,000 cost rental homes by 2030. As such, the overall average delivery ratio will be approximately one cost rental home for every two affordable purchase homes.

In 2021, several cost rental projects were undertaken in Ireland, including the Enniskerry Road Project; St Michael’s Estate, Inchicore, Dublin 8; and Shanganagh, County Dublin.

However, despite a government commitment to deliver 350 cost rental homes in 2021, only 65 of which were delivered in full and tenanted. Figures released in June 2022 showed that just 234 cost rental homes had been delivered in the 12-month period from end of Q2 2021 to end of Q2 2022, including the aforementioned 65 houses in 2021.

Cost rental homes have been tenanted at Barnhall Meadows in Leixlip, County Kildare; Taylor Hill in Balbriggan, County Dublin; Enniskerry Road in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown; Kilcarbery Grange, Clondalkin; Newcastle, County Dublin; Newbridge, County Kildare; and Parklands, Citywest, County Dublin.

Further 2023 developments have begun in places such as Kiltiernan, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

Misconceptions Yet, several misconceptions abound around cost rental. For instance, the Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI) has highlighted the misconception that every household pays the same rent everywhere for the same type of dwelling; and that cost rental is synonymous with social housing. Similarly, while the Vienna Model is the most renowned, there are a variety of viable cost rental models.

delivering cost rental housing report

Unlike Rebuilding Ireland’s ambiguous Affordable Rental Scheme, Housing for All is the first national housing strategy to include cost rental, specifically its roll out at scale as a pathway to supporting homeownership and increasing affordability.

“Cost rental housing is at the heart of Housing for All.” Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD

Indeed, there are three different delivery models for cost rental in Ireland.

Delivery Over the period up to 2026, Housing for All commits to the delivery of 10,000 cost rental homes in urban centres by local authorities, approved housing bodies (AHBs), and the Land Development Agency (LDA). The Government has stated that it expects to deliver 1,850 cost rental units in 2023.

Local authorities Local authorities can apply for Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) funding to cover the cost of delivering – either building or buying – cost rental homes themselves, or through a third-party on their behalf.

For instance, a “flagship project” for Dublin City Council at Emmet Road (formerly St Michael’s Estate) in Inchicore, Dublin, is awaiting the result of a planning application submitted to An Bord Pleanála in October 2022.

Despite its October submission for planning permission, Dublin City Council terminated its contract with the project’s lead architects in April 2023 and advertised for tenders for the development. The proposed development will contain 578 units. Of these units, 70 per cent will be cost rental (the other 30 per cent being social housing). As the land being utilised is public land, rent rates will be calculated as per the cost of construction, management, and maintenance of the development.

Approved housing bodies Through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) mechanism, which covers up to 30 per cent of the capital costs of a

development, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has approved funding for the development of around 900 cost rental homes, to be delivered across 2022 and 2023 by approved housing bodies.

For example, completion of the pilot Woodside scheme at Enniskerry Road, Stepaside, County Dublin, marked the delivery of the first purpose-built cost rental homes in the State and has helped inform the financial model upon which CREL is based.

Jointly delivered by Respond and Tuath AHBs, in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, the land for the Woodside scheme was provided by The Housing Agency and must be utilised for cost rental homes for a minimum 70 years. In total, the scheme delivered 155 homes, including 50 two-bedroom cost rental homes which rents of approximately 40 per cent below open-market rates.

Land Development Agency As per Housing for All, the LDA is the State’s primary channel for the development of cost rental housing. The objective of the cost rental model employed by the LDA is to cap tenant expenditure on rent to approximately one-third of their net disposable income, as “a generally accepted level of housing cost affordability”.

The LDA’s Project Tosaigh – a market engagement initiative to unlock land with full planning permission that is not being developed by the private sector owners – has a target of delivering 5,000 new homes by 2026 for 4 affordable cost rental or sale.

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Building homes, improving lives.

delivering cost rental housing report

Credit: Clúid Housing

Through Project Tosaigh, the LDA will provide cost rental homes ahead of the direct delivery of homes on its own sites later in the decade. For instance, it has collaborated with Dún LaoghaireRathdown County Council at Shanganagh, County Dublin. The project at Shanganagh is the largest cost rental scheme to date, and, of the 597 units planned, 306 (51 per cent) are to be delivered as cost rental dwellings.

Construction on the site is due to commence in September 2022.

In April 2023, the Government agreed to further funding via the LDA “and other providers”, pledging to commit up to €750 million as part of an initiative to complete between 4,000 and 6,000 apartments under the cost rental system. This measure is aimed at commencing the construction of projects that have received planning permission but have not yet begun work, an oft-cited issue with housing supply.

Budget 2023 As per the Budget 2023: Expenditure Report, housing capital funding for 2023 totals €2.3 billion, “a large element of which will be used to deliver over 9,100 new social homes through build and acquisition programmes and 5,500 affordable homes for purchase and for cost rental”.

Delivery of cost rental homes are intended to be delivered via several funding streams.

A total of €75 million is being allocated to the development of 750 cost rental homes in 2023 via the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) mechanism.

Covering up to 30 per cent of capital costs of a housing development, CREL is administered by The Housing Agency, on behalf of DHLGH. LDA investment is also expected to support delivery of 1,400 cost rental and affordable purchase homes.

Opposition However, in its Alternative Housing Budget 2023, Sinn Féin proposed the delivery of “2,250 affordable cost rental homes”, the cost of which has been combined with affordable housing to an additional total of €424 million. In this situation, cost rental homes would be funded by voted capital (30 per cent) and AHBs (70 per cent).

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Clúid Housing’s cost rental homes at Barnhall Meadows, Leixlip, County Kildare were launched in October 2021.

Discourse Moving a private members’ motion on rising rental costs in May 2022, Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin TD asserted that government delivery of cost rental housing since 2020 was “nowhere close to the thousands that are required”.

In response, Minister O’Brien maintained: “We have delivered cost rental from a slow start. It did not exist and was not here, but we legislated for it, which Sinn Féin supported. There are now tenants in place paying 50 per cent below the market rent in many places.

We will deliver hundreds more such units this year.

“We have to build capacity in the construction sector to deliver the homes we need… The roll-out of cost rental is happening and will continue. We have funded more than 900 new tenancies for this year and, if we can do more, we will because resources are not an issue.”

The Government’s April 2023 measures to deliver new housing at a quicker pace have come as a direct response to opposition pressure, specifically with regard to the ending of the eviction ban, with the Government’s counter motion on the matter citing its intention to

introduce the measures and use cost rental delivery to improve “viability”.

Affordability With cost rental, logic dictates that where construction, management, and maintenance costs are low, rents will also be low. Therefore, the inverse is also true. Where cost rental homes are expensive to construct, manage, and maintain, they will have higher rents. As a result, while some rent rates are considerably cheaper than the market rent, at a minimum they must be 25 per cent below market rent.

As such, the Government’s attempts to deliver affordable cost rental are being undermined by inflationary pressures and labour constraints in the construction sector. Consequently, rent rate for the cost rental projects in Clondalkin and City West, Dublin is set at €1,000 per month for one-bed apartments, €1,200 for two-bed apartments, €1,300 for two-bed duplexes. While this may mirror construction cost, it limits the discount that can be afforded to tenants.

Ultimately, the result is that cost rental homes remain unaffordable for many middle-income earners.

Building homes, improving lives.

delivering cost rental housing report

Cost rental: A lever of recovery The pursuit of properly targeted policies to improve rental housing affordability could spur activity, create jobs, and enhance energy efficiency across Europe, a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated.

Published in the aftermath of the Covid19 pandemic, the report makes the case for making affordable rental housing a pillar of Europe’s economic and societal recovery, recognising that in many advanced European economies, a large and rising share of low-income renters, the young, and those living in cities is overburdened.

The cost rental tenure in Ireland was introduced via the Affordable Housing Act 2021 and proposes properties available to rent at a lower charge than average market rents in an area. Rent covers cost of construction, management, and maintenance, on a not-for-profit basis, offering long-term secure tenancies.

By March 2023, only 585 cost rental homes were in place in Ireland but a further 550 had been scheduled for delivery, and Housing for All envisages 18,000 cost rental homes to be funded by 2030.

Across Europe, rental housing support for the segment of tenants most in need has often not kept pace with affordability

pressures. The pandemic compounded a long-standing reality that lower-income households tend to spend a larger share of their disposable income on housing than those with high incomes. This has been particularly true for renters, with the IMF report highlighting pre-pandemic figures showing that the cumulative median real rent rose by nearly 7 per cent over five years from 2013, with a few cities recording cumulative real increases of more than 30 per cent.

According to the IMF, housing affordability pressures are more intense for renters than homeowners, with the median renter spending more than one and a half times the median homeowner, as a share of disposable income. Rental price surges and affordability pressures have been particularly harsh in some major European cities, among the 14 (of 24) countries that experienced an annual average real rent increase of at least 1 per cent since 2013, 11 saw larger increases in their capital city than for the country as a whole.

countries provide more public resources toward home ownership than renting and that public spending on social rental housing has been on the decline. The IMF says: “Effective policies that improve rental housing affordability will be a critical component to reverse accelerating divergences post-Covid.

“They must comprise measures that enhance long-term income opportunities for low-income households and the young to benefit from the structural transformation of the economy (including investments in education, reskilling, childcare, etc.), as well as targeted rental housing assistance and measures to increase the affordable (social) rental housing stock across locations, especially with a view to facilitating movement to locations where new jobs are being created.

“At the same time, investment in rental housing would help accelerate economic activity and job creation in the recovery.”

Interestingly, the report finds that most 65

delivering cost rental housing report

Cost Rental: Viability, scaling up, and getting the right mix

Now that a number of cost rental schemes have reached completion, partner and Head of Housing in Beauchamps LLP, Fidelma McManus, and partner, Conor McEvoy, consider factors influencing the viability of the cost rental model, how we can scale up delivery with the aid of this new tenure and the importance of delivering true mixed tenure housing developments.

The cost rental model

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The Affordable Housing Act 2021 (the Act) introduced a variety of measures to make the delivery of housing more affordable. Among these new measures was the introduction of the cost rental model, a new form of tenure in Ireland to provide secure, long-term rental properties at below-market rents (25 per cent below market equivalents). Under the cost rental model, rents for homes are set to cover only the cost of financing, building, managing, and maintaining the homes, with the tenants getting security of tenure by entering into long-term leases. Cost rental is aimed at those who earn above the threshold to qualify for social housing 66

supports but who cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market.

Subsequent to the introduction of the Act, the Government published its Housing for All plan which commits to the delivery of 18,000 cost rental homes by local authorities, approved housing bodies (AHBs), and the Land Development Agency (LDA) between now and 2030.

The introduction of a new form of tenure by the Government is quite unusual and was a bold step when considering that other EU member states tend to follow traditional paths for housing delivery and stick to them. This model was inspired by the success of equivalent cost rental models in delivering affordable housing

in other European countries like Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands, and seeks to draw from those examples.

Viability: Will challenges with costs as well as constraints in cost rental eligibility thwart efforts to scale up?

Now that the first cost rental schemes have been delivered and are operational, this allows us to assess (1) the viability of the model to date, (2) the ability to scale up delivery by the parties responsible, being local authorities, AHBs, and the LDA and (3) the attractiveness of this to homebuilders as

major stakeholders in delivery. For cost rental to be a success, significant upfront public investment is required. The correct combination of upfront funding and ongoing income flow is required to provide for appropriate long-term housing management. The omnipresent issues around viability (including costs of construction and funding, and challenges with planning and infrastructure), as well as constraints in cost rental eligibility continue to impact delivery at scale. Accordingly, the model needs regular periodic review to ensure it is ‘fit for purpose’ and that market changes can continually be accounted for.

AHBs must consider their ability to deliver cost rental at scale and it is likely that more funding will need to be made available to ensure the long-term viability of the model. Where AHBs, as not-for-profit charities, are being asked to take on more market risk in the absence of any state-backed security of repayment, and are required to maintain reductions from market rent, could it curb their appetite to deliver cost rental at scale? Perhaps if the model is revisited (as expected) due to the lifting of the eviction ban, this long-term concern could also be re-considered.

How are Cost Rental units funded?

The funding models differ according to whether local authorities, AHBs, or the LDA are delivering the scheme.

Local authority Local authorities can apply for AHF funding to cover the cost of delivering – either building or buying – cost rental homes themselves, or through a thirdparty on their behalf. The AHF provides government funding to local authorities to assist in meeting the cost of delivery of cost rental homes.

AHBs

The introduction of the cost rental model allows stakeholders in the housing sector to consider, for the first time, true mixed tenure projects, which is a vital factor in delivering schemes for all: owner occupiers, affordable purchasers, social and costrental tenants.

Public consultation is being sought by The Housing Commission on what is the right balance between these different forms of tenure and there is no definitive answer to what true mixed tenure looks like. However, there is little doubt that a choice and range of tenures is important for social inclusion purposes and the overall betterment of society, and that the model must also be effective for all stakeholders collaborating to deliver it. Noting that whilst we have an established model for the delivery of social homes, introducing a government funded model for the delivery of cost rental homes will hopefully add further balance to enable the delivery of true mixed tenure schemes but further tweaks to funding the model for AHBs may be required to ensure significant scale.

It is clear that balancing the different forms of tenure with the associated funding risks for each will be an important factor in ensuring the long-term viability and attractiveness of the cost rental model for AHBs but also the LDA, local authorities, and the homebuilders, so getting this mix right can only assist the ability to scale up and deliver more homes including cost rental.

Conclusion Given that we are at the beginning of Ireland’s cost rental journey and considering the ongoing need to react to external market challenges, questions as to the long-term viability and related challenges remain. However, with continued commitment from the public purse, the hope and expectation is that this new form of tenure can and will continue to be a powerful weapon in our arsenal, unlocking the delivery of true mixed-tenure housing developments at scale.

T: 01 418 0625 / 01 418 0644 E: f.mcmanus@beauchamps.ie / c.mcevoy@beauchamps.ie W: www.beauchamps.ie

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The Act introduced the CREL fund for cost rental tenancies pursuant to which the Government provides loans to AHBs to finance up to 45 per cent of the capital costs for new cost rental homes. The intention is that CREL funding reduces the financing costs of AHB projects and will therefore directly reduce the cost-covering rents to be charged to tenants. In addition to the CREL fund, a further €100 million of long-term commercial loans are to be made available by the Housing Finance Agency for CREL-approved projects.

It is all in the mix

delivering cost rental housing report

In terms of the public investment made available so far, Budget 2022 allocated €70 million to the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme for cost rental delivery by AHBs in 2022, and the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) will also be a key lever for local authorities in delivering many of the 18,000 cost rental homes targeted between now and 2030.

engagement initiative to unlock land with full planning permission that is not being developed by the private sector owners. Under Project Tosaigh, €1 billion in additional funding is being made available for affordable homes to accelerate delivery.

LDA The LDA is the State’s primary channel for the development of cost rental housing. In addition to its pipeline of state lands, Housing for All launched the LDA’s Project Tosaigh which is a market

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Building homes, improving lives.

delivering cost rental housing report

Housing Ireland 2023: Thoughts on cost rental At the Housing Ireland 2023 conference, public and private sector housing experts gave their opinions on the Government’s new cost rental scheme.

Bob Jordan, The Housing Agency: “The cost rental sector is a new tenure which will provide secure homes below market value rent. The rent will cover the cost of construction and management of the building, which will remove the profit motive. We are aiming to see 18,000 funded by 2030.”

“There are already 585 cost rental homes in place (as of 10 March 2023) and 550 are scheduled for delivery. This is a very important tenure; the majority of people entering homelessness are doing so from rental properties and so they need a new affordable model which can shield them from the worst dangers.”

Larry O’Connell, National Economic and Social Council: “The cost rental model is promising as, in current circumstances, there is no sense in renting in the long term. What is clear is that we are going to need to make a lot of tweaks to the current system if we are going to implement this cost rental model, which can potentially give us strong outcomes, but will require significant investment as it is an expensive project.”

John Coleman, Land Development Agency: “For cost rental to be affordable in any way, we have to look closely at the costs. The current delivery costs are so high that the whole model is being stretched very thin.”

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Building homes, improving lives.

delivering cost rental housing report

Sorcha Edwards, Housing Europe: “There is still a need for much more exchange of ideas between the member states of the European Union. The cost rental model is a rare example of new solutions being used to solve crises, and it is a model which is being used in Ireland, Portugal, and Germany.

“Recognition of the upfront cost is the biggest challenge in implementing a new tenure in Ireland. There is also an initial barrier in looking beyond the viability of the individual project and looking more to the social viability and the long-term impact of having more affordable housing.

“It is a misnomer to differentiate the various terms such as cost rental housing, affordable housing, general interest housing, etc. What is termed co-operative housing in Switzerland is actually cost rental housing. It is all about providing affordable housing in which the profit motive is not a factor.”

Áine Stapleton, Social Housing Delivery: “There is huge value in moving away from the monotenure model. There needs to be maximised levers if we are to develop the cost rental sector.

We also need to ensure that there is a thriving private rented sector in rural Ireland.”

Robert Nicholson, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: “Intertwined with cost rental is the target of 5,400 affordable homes. To have such a target shows the amount of progress which is being made, and what can be achieved when we have strong levels of collaboration between the public and private sectors.”

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The Land Development Agency: Unlocking state land, opening doors to affordable homes

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Archer’s Wood, Delgany, County Wicklow.

What is cost rental?

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is committed to meeting the need for affordable homes for purchase and rent across Ireland.

The Affordable Living programme was launched in October 2022 aiming to meet this need by providing homes for both purchase and rent, which is a core objective of the Agency.

Cost rental is a new housing tenure that was created under the Affordable Housing Act 2021. It is a new rental tenure which offers a long-term, secure rental option that will contribute to the development of a sustainable housing market in Ireland which provides choice across all tenures. The rent on these units is based on the cost of building, managing, and maintaining the homes.

Under Housing for All, the LDA is one of the State’s primary channels for the development of cost rental housing.

In line with Housing for All and Project Tosaigh, the LDA has launched two key programmes on affordable homes and cost rental accommodation. Project Tosaigh was announced last year in the Government’s housing strategy, Housing for All, to unlock land in private ownership that has planning permission but where delivery has stalled due to financing and other constraints. A first phase of expressions of interest process was launched at the end of 2021, and phase two launched at the end of 2022.

The developments in this first phase are well-spread regionally, in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Wicklow, Meath, and Kildare, in which the LDA expects to deliver 5,000 homes across a multi-phase

Terms and conditions for cost rental housing in Ireland are set out in the Affordable Housing Act 2021.

process, in addition to the 6,000 the LDA has planned for delivery from its existing portfolio of state lands. A further 10,000 to 15,000 homes are anticipated after 2026 from the transfer of additional state lands announced in Housing for All in September 2022. The present pipeline of projects is anticipated to deliver circa 1,000 affordable for sale and cost rental homes over the next two years, with some already delivered.

Additional phases of Project Tosaigh will be launched periodically and will layer similar tranches of delivery on a consistent basis. This is in addition to direct delivery by the LDA on state lands.

To be eligible for consideration for cost rental housing, tenants must meet the following criteria: •

net household income is below €53,000 per annum;

•

they can afford to pay the cost rent for the home;

•

they are not in receipt of any social housing supports (including rent supplement or HAP);

•

they do not own a property;

•

the household size matches the

size of the property advertised (all members of the household must be living in Ireland at time of applying); and •

the household has only entered one application for a specific cost rental property.

Archer’s Wood, Delgany, County Wicklow The first tenants received their new cost rental homes on 16 January 2023. As part of its Affordable Homes Programme, the LDA is delivering 24 two-bed duplexes at €1,455 per calendar month and 24 three-bed duplexes at €1,550 per calendar month on the Archers Wood site. These rents are on average 30 per cent below the market rate in the area. March 2023 saw the LDA launching phase two of Archer’s Wood, comprising an additional 24 duplexes.

Parklands, Citywest We also launched phase one of the Parklands development in March 2023.

The houses in Citywest are three- and four-bed family units located in Parklands on Fortunestown Lane. They will be released in phases over the next 16 months, starting with the first 22 units.

Rents start at €1,350 a month for a three-bed, two-storey terraced house.

The monthly rent for a four-bed, twostorey, terrace house, is €1,450 and tenants in a four-bed, three-storey,

delivering cost rental housing report

The LDA launched its first cost rental offering to the market in Archer’s Wood, Delgany, County Wicklow in partnership with Cairn Homes in November 2022. In total, 142 homes in this north Wicklow location will be provided, with 48 twoand three-bedroom duplexes and 94 one-, two-, and three-bed apartments.

These are currently being marketed to prospective occupiers at affordable rents based on costs.

Parklands, Citywest, Dublin.

terraced house will pay €1,460. These rents are typically about 57 per cent below market rents.

•

Archer’s Wood, Delgany, County Wicklow – 94 apartments cost rent (additional to the 48 already allocated from the first round); and

Hansfield, Dublin 15 In a further scheme the LDA has contracted with the McGarrell Reilly Group, for the delivery of 247 apartments in Hansfield, Dublin 15.

Hansfield is well located in Dublin’s North-Western suburbs, with excellent public transport into the city and with very good amenities close by.

Construction has commenced on site and delivery of the homes is expected to take place during 2024. The homes will be made available to rent by the LDA upon completion.

•

Hansfield, Dublin 15.

John Coleman, CEO of the LDA, says: “Project Tosaigh is providing an important mechanism for us to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing by supporting housing construction on private land where it had stalled. We intend to deliver 5,000 affordable homes by 2026 through this approach, substantially increasing our delivery capability in the short term.

Whilst our longer-term approach continues to focus on publicly owned

The LDA will conduct new lotteries for cost rental homes and processes with local authorities for affordable purchase homes early in 2023. The following schemes are now substantially complete and will be accepting applicants shortly:

land, it makes sense for the LDA to step

•

purchase on an affordable basis.”

Citywest, Dublin 12 – 22 houses for cost rent;

in as a catalyst to speed up affordable homes delivery that is needed now, with the security of knowing all homes will be either retained in public ownership or made available for households to

Further releases will follow in 2023.

W: https://lda.ie/affordable-

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Hansfield, Dublin 15 71

delivering cost rental housing report

Building homes, improving lives.

Cost rental: European best in class A study performed by Housing Europe for The Housing Agency sheds light on how cost-based social renting operates in Austria and Denmark, in order to inform The Housing Agency on different cost rental models, as Ireland steps up its delivery under the tenure model.

Austria

A typical cost-based social housing project in Austria is funded through a combination of sources:

Social housing in Austria, 2020: 944,100 units (24 per cent of housing stock)

•

Low-interest public loans (30-40 per cent);

•

Bank loans (30-40 per cent);

•

LPHA equity (10-20 per cent);

•

Tenant contribution through down payment (5-10 per cent); and

•

Additional public grant (5 per cent).

- Of which: Limited profit housing associations: 667,300 (17 per cent) -

Of which: Municipalities: 276,800 (7 per cent)

The bulk of Austrian social housing stock is made up by Gemeinnützige Bauvereinigung, or limited-profit housing association (LPHA) housing, which are officially classified as private enterprises with independent boards of management. Under the laws set out in the Limited-Profit Housing Act, only LPHAs can become providers of costbased social housing. It is possible for for-profit developers to also participate in the cost rental sphere in Austria, but such developers are required to keep their rents at a cost-based price until any public loans used in the development of their housing has been repaid, while LPHAs are required to keep their rents at cost-based prices in perpetuity.

‘Cost’ is defined, with developers required to recoup costs incurred for all planning, construction, financing, and management; developers do not have the option to charge below-cost rents. Costs are also calculated on an individual basis per block or estate, meaning that an LPHA with a large portfolio cannot spread the costs of developing one development to the rents of another.

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Rents are calculated using the grundmiete (basic or flat rent) system, which is set out in the Act. This is indexed to CPI inflation and is updated every two years; maintenance and improvement funds are also included in the rent, ranging €0.53 per square metre for a new building to €2.13 per square metre for buildings over 30 years old. Once and LPHA has cleared the debt associated with a development, rents have been found to fall by €0.50-€1.50 per square metre. Just 10.3 per cent of Austrian households say that meeting housing needs represents a ‘heavy’ financial burden for them.

Building homes, improving lives.

Non-profit housing in Denmark, 2021: 560,931 units (20 per cent of housing stock) The non-profit housing sector in Denmark is made up of over 500 housing associations, covering approximately 7,000 individual housing estates and 560,000 dwellings, providing homes for almost one million residents. Regardless of variance in size, these non-profit providers obey the same basic underlying legal and regulatory structure. Non-profit housing adopts a ‘universalist’ approach, meaning that anyone can access it, although those in urgent need do tend to be prioritised.

The absence of income criteria for applicants allows for flexibility in creating balanced resident mixes in these housing developments.

Housing associations are tasked with the development of non-profit housing blocks and estates but are subject to municipal oversight in terms of spending and budgets.

Municipal authorities are also in charge of monitoring housing need within their jurisdictions and deciding when and where to construct new non-profit housing, meaning that building and operation, but not decision making, are the jobs of these housing associations. Non-profit housing in Denmark operates under a ‘rental balance’ principle that is enshrined in law, meaning that income and expenditure within the social housing system must balance out. Rents charged are strictly what is necessary to cover the providers’ expenses, including administrative costs.

•

delivering cost rental housing report

Denmark

Tenant equity in the form of deposits (2 per cent).

The Danish State and municipalities can provide some financial support for the construction of new non-profit housing. Where a municipality has provided funding, it reserves the right to directly allocate a percentage of units within developments. Typically, this anvisningsret, or allocation right, covers 25 per cent of non-profit units in a development, but this proportion can go higher. Such direct allocations are typically reserved for those in immediate housing stress, victims of domestic abuse, and those experiencing homelessness, allowing them to bypass the usual queue system.

An upper limit on non-profit housing construction per square metre ensures that rents are kept low. The limit varies depending on housing type and region, with a family home in the capital region limited at 21,460 DKK (around €2,880) per square metre, with an additional amount corresponding to 368,530 DKK (around €49,500) per unit.

Annual debt repayments, which determine the rent, are equal to 2.8 per cent of the total initial development cost of the property, plus current contributions to mortgage loans, amounting altogether to approximately 3 per cent of the property development cost. When higher interest rates have been incurred, the state guarantees that the 2.8 per cent rate is maintained and pays the difference. In practice, the payment to the government, which then services the housing associations’ mortgages on their behalf. Just 7.2 per cent of Danish households report a ‘heavy’ financial burden when meeting their housing needs.

Funding for non-profit housing in Denmark is typically arrived at through: •

Loans from mortgage institutions (86-90 per cent);

•

Interest-free, 50-year municipal loans (8-12 per cent); and 73

delivering cost rental housing report

Cost rental: From concept to creation

Kilcarbery Grange, Clondalkin.

13 April 2022 marked a proud moment in the history of Tuath Housing. It was the day Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, officially opened Tuath’s first ever cost rental development; the start of

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a new journey for the association.

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Woodside, located on the Enniskerry Road in Dublin, contains Ireland’s first purpose-built, cost rental homes. Delivered under an innovative and ground-breaking new model, this unique development brought together multiple stakeholders, each with specific skills and experience, but with one common vision – to provide long-term, secure, affordable homes for rent. Its success is the result of working in partnership.

The scheme is targeted at households with incomes which exceed the threshold for social housing and aims to provide tenants with significantly increased security of tenure. Cost rental developments create choice and diversity in the housing market and provide affordable homes that are urgently required. The intention is that delivery under this model, at scale, will stabilise the wider rental market.

Cost rental was placed on a statutory footing as part of the Affordable Housing Bill in 2021. The core principle of the model is that rents charged to tenants are dictated by the cost of construction and management of the developments, not by the whim of the open market where we have seen prices steadily increase since 2014.

Strong early progress The Woodside development includes 50 cost rental homes and 105 social homes which are managed by both Respond and Tuath. The new homes at Woodside offer middle-income earners rents that start at a minimum of 40 per cent below the

average local area rent. It was built on land provided by Dún Laoghaire– Rathdown County Council, supported by the Housing Agency under the land aggregation scheme.

The evident success of Woodside has emboldened the belief at Tuath that we can work effectively with partners and offer real choice to those who are unable to access housing, either through the private market or the social housing route. The selection of approved housing bodies (AHBs) such as Tuath to deliver projects under the Government’s cost rental equity loan (CREL) initiative acknowledges the proven expertise and capacity of AHBs across the housing sector. Over the course of 2022, Tuath delivered 278 cost rental homes in total, expanding delivery outside Dublin with 50 homes built at Belin Woods and a further 40 at Walkers Gate, located respectively at Newbridge and Kildare town.

Looking ahead As one of Irelands largest AHBs, with over 10,300 homes in management, Tuath is in a prime position to continue delivering cost rental at scale. Some 27,000 people across Ireland now live in a home delivered by Tuath, with a growing number living under the new tenure model. 500 cost rental homes are

Woodside, Enniskerry Road.

“Cost rental developments create choice and diversity in the housing market and provide affordable homes that are urgently required.

The intention is that delivery under this model, at scale, will stabilise the wider rental market.” in the pipeline, with plans for further delivery in counties Cork, Galway, Louth, and Dublin.

72 homes are currently on site at Bishops Gate, Kiltiernan, a new development in partnership with Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council that will also provide a further 22 social homes. Tuath’s vision is investing in people and places by providing more homes and more choice. It will continue to work hand-in-hand with its partners nationwide to achieve this.

Cost rental homes delivered by Tuath offer something that unfortunately cannot be guaranteed to many individuals and families renting from the private market – security of tenure.

Homeownership is an important life goal for many people in Ireland, but for many in our society this is out of reach. They

should nevertheless be afforded the same long-term safe and secure housing as those able to afford to buy their own homes or those who qualify for social housing.

The cost rental initiative is no doubt an important step forward in providing housing security to individuals and families who could not otherwise achieve it. Tuath will continue to play its part, remaining focused on improving the services it delivers, building on organisational capacity, and all the while continuing to nurture a culture of innovation through partnership.

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A significant portion of the overall delivery occurred in late August with the opening of 74 homes at Kilcarbery Grange in Clondalkin and 44 homes at the Parklands development in Citywest.

The Kilcarbery development represented the first truly mixed-tenure strategic housing development implemented by South Dublin County Council, providing cost rental, social, affordable for sale, private rental and owner-occupied accommodation in what is an excellent example of public, private, and voluntary partnership in action.

delivering cost rental housing report

The project was financed via a combination of capital advanced leasing facility, serviced site funding from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and competitively priced, long-term fixed-rate finance provided by the Housing Finance Agency. As a pilot scheme for the introduction of a new form of tenure into the Irish housing market, Woodside demonstrated to the Government that this model can work in providing a solution to a significant gap in the market.

T: 01 676 1602 E: info@tuathhousing.ie W: www.tuathhousing.ie

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Delegates visiting the Electric Ireland Superhomes exhibition stand.

Áine Stapleton, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Ray Fanning, Respond.

conference report

Sharon Cosgrove, Oaklee Housing with Phelim O’Connor, Torca Homes.

The Housing Ireland Conference crowd.

Speaker panel: Bob Jordan, The Housing Agency; Sorcha Edwards, Housing Europe; Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell TD; Ciarán Galway, eolas Magazine; Fidelma McManus, Beauchamps; and John O’Connor, The Housing Commission.

Conference 2023

Naoimh O’Brien and Laura Collier from Foscadh Housing Association CLG with Michelle McKiernan from the Department of the Taoiseach.

eolas Magazine’s eighth annual Housing Ireland Conference, organised in association with The Housing Agency and supported by Beauchamps, recently took place in Dublin. This major event examined the key challenges facing Ireland’s housing policymakers and attracted strong attendance from across the sector. If you would like further information on the 2024 event, please contact info@eolasmagazine.ie to receive updates.

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Regional Focus: Leitrim County Council

REGIONAL FOCUS: LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL

RE RG EG I OI O NN AL A LF O FO CU CU S :S L: ILME EI TRRI C IM K COUNTY COUNCIL

Lar Power: ‘Propelling County Leitrim forward’ Lar Power, Chief Executive at Leitrim County Council, sits down in his Carrick-onShannon headquarters overlooking the Leitrim/Roscommon border, defined by the River Shannon, to discuss the local authority’s efforts to develop the county.

Spanning 1,608km2 and encompassing 27 towns and villages, County Leitrim is “a place of unspoiled landscapes and breathtaking scenery”, Power observes, adding: “I consider the county to be a destination, and each town and village as a sub destination.”

Outlining Leitrim County Council’s mission, he asserts: “Our role is defined by placemaking. Our collective focus, therefore, is ensuring that County Leitrim can reach its full potential on behalf of the people who choose to live, work, visit, and invest here.”

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Paying tribute to his “agile, dynamic, and committed” colleagues in Leitrim County Council, as well as the “excellent elected councillors”, the Chief Executive insists: “The partnership between the county councillors and the staff is unrivalled and each policy we implement, or challenge we tackle, is informed by the overriding objective of propelling County Leitrim forward.”

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Capital investment In spite of its relatively small geographic area and population, County Leitrim has “an ambitious and very aggressive” capital investment programme for 2022 until 2027. Totalling €387 million over six years and securing “full commitment of our elected councillors”, the capital investment programme spans urban renewal, economic development, tourism, housing, flood relief, and transport infrastructure.

“While Leitrim County Council is not a wealthy local authority, the financial management of the county over many decades has been exceptionally prudent and the council has always lived within its means.

“Therefore, while we have embarked on an ambitious capital programme, we have collectively ensured that the county will retain its financial stability. Despite being required to make challenging financial decisions, the council, to its immense credit, has never

shirked that responsibility,” the Chief Executive insists.

Regeneration At the same time, Leitrim County Council has also embarked upon an extensive urban renewal programme throughout the county.

“Our public realm investment in primary tier towns is aimed at encouraging town centre development, tackling vacancy, and increasing footfall, ultimately enhancing placemaking and unlocking private sector investment,” Power details.

Several projects within this programme include a Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) investment of €10.24 million in Carrick-on-Shannon under Project Ireland 2040, the ongoing €3.3 million redevelopment of Ballinamore Junction railway buildings into a digital hub and youth space, a €2.4 million investment in Manorhamilton public realm, and a €3 million investment in Mohill public realm.

REGIONAL FOCUS: LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL

“Each policy we implement, or challenge we tackle, is informed by the overriding objective of propelling County Leitrim forward.”

Lar Power, Chief Executive, Leitrim County Council

Connectivity With three national primary roads – the N4 Dublin-Sligo, the N15 Sligo-Derry, and the N16 Sligo-Enniskillen – traversing the county, alongside the Dublin-Sligo railway line, which operates eight services in each direction daily and stops at Dromod and Carrick-on-Shannon – Leitrim is “well connected nationally”.

“From an international connectivity perspective, Carrick-onShannon, for instance, is just 40 minutes away from Ireland West Airport, with direct connections to the UK and Europe.

It is only two hours away from Dublin and slightly over two hours away from Shannon Airport and Belfast International Airport. They are very important arteries of connectivity for us,” Power remarks.

County town Bordering County Roscommon at the Cumann na mBan Bridge over the Shannon, Leitrim’s county town of Carrickon-Shannon fulfils a regional function, with a population catchment pervading county boundaries.

“The county town is also a critical access point for the River Shannon. With around 130 cruisers for hire, Carrick-onShannon is the marina capital of the north west and each year, from the Easter weekend onwards, the cruisers become very active and remain hugely active, well into September.”

Tourism As such, the county’s status as a tourist destination is a primary driver of the local economy. In 2019, pre-Covid, tourism in County Leitrim totalled approximately 250,000 visitors with a combined revenue of €77 million.

Indeed, having pioneered the concept, County Leitrim remains the only designated area in the Republic for slow adventure tourism. “What that means is that we want tourists to come to Leitrim and witness its unspoiled landscape and breath-taking scenery at a pace that allows them to fully absorb it.

“We suggest that individuals set down their mobile phones and take the time to enjoy where they are. As a gateway to the River Shannon, Carrick-on-Shannon is the river cruise hire capital of Ireland.”

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“Carrick-on-Shannon is a beautiful town which serves as an economic and social hub for the wider north west region.

Consequently, it is a town that punches far above its weight in terms of size and population and is the envy of many towns in Ireland,” Power reflects.

but people also come from the four corners of Ireland by other means and enjoy what this town has to offer at the weekend,” Power explains, adding: “Groups engage in a range of activities, often relating to the River Shannon’s water sport amenities, professionally delivered and managed. It is a very popular trip for people to make and that experience generates many repeat visitors.”

The county also boasts the first blueway of its kind in Ireland.

Developed in partnership with Waterways Ireland, the Shannon Blueway enables tourists the opportunity to kayak, canoe, paddle board, cruise, walk, cycle, and fish along the 8.3km stretch between Drumshanbo and Leitrim Village. 4

Famously, Carrick-on-Shannon is a popular destination for hen and stag parties. “That is facilitated by rail connection, 79

RE RG EG I OI O NN AL A LF O FO CU CU S :S L: ILME EI TRRI C IM K COUNTY COUNCIL

Meanwhile, as the lead local authority driving the development of the planned Sligo to Enniskillen Greenway which traverses a highly scenic portion of the county, Leitrim County Council has an objective of utilising the disused Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) line to deliver a 75km long greenway between the two towns.

“Traversing the counties of Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, and Fermanagh, it is a €40 million project with full government support at the very highest level,” Power notes, adding: “Currently at route selection stage, the project will ensure cross-border connectivity while simultaneously unlocking the full potential of tourism assets in north County Leitrim.”

Relocate to Leitrim At the same time, tourism aside, Leitrim is home to several indigenous and multinational firms spanning MedTech, advanced manufacturing, and international financial services.

Working in collaboration with development agencies such as Local Enterprise Office Leitrim and Enterprise Ireland, as well as IDA Ireland, Leitrim County Council endeavours to support indigenous and inward investment in the county.

As an optimal location to relocate and expand operations, including second site or satellite offices, Leitrim can offer employment with both indigenous and FDI employers operating on a global scale. The county also offers a portfolio of affordable office accommodation and access to graduates from the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Sligo.

“Aimed at a range of employees across MedTech, advanced manufacturing, and professional financial services, our Relocate to Leitrim campaign outlines what Leitrim has to offer to domestic and international firms.

“In 2022, FDI employment increased by 6.3 per cent in the region and many companies including MCI and Vistamed are actively recruiting. Indigenous entrepreneurs, including King & Moffatt and Cora Systems, have also grown their operations into international companies of scale while headquartered in County Leitrim. As global industry leaders, they provide a diverse range of senior level roles in engineering, applied sciences, logistics, and supply chain management, offering competitive career progression opportunities.

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Meanwhile, amid an investment €56 million in high-speed broadband infrastructure in the county under the National Broadband Plan, a network of nine digital hubs throughout Leitrim offers hot desk, co-working, and offices for those looking for seeking flexible work accommodation, including start-ups.

Carrick Business Campus In addition, the 112,000ft2 Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus, a turnkey office accommodation centre on the Dublin Road in Carrick-on-Shannon, was recently acquired by Leitrim County Council, with €7.2 million in support from the Rural Regeneration Development Fund.

Previously home to MBNA Corporation, the local authority is now investing an additional €3.4 million to deliver a state-of-

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the-art collaborative workspace for prospective SME and multinational tenants.

Already home to financial services firm, Avant Money, which employs 200 people, it is intended that the campus will provide a supportive ecosystem for firms deciding to locate themselves in Ireland’s north west. Phase one of the refurbishment project incorporates a high-quality fitout of office workspace for 150 employees aimed at firms of more than 10 employees.

“Leitrim County Council was successful in securing the Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus in November 2022,” Power comments, adding: “We envisage that the campus will become a natural home for growing indigenous companies that want to relocate from an incubation space, such as The Hive. It will also be a hub for internationally trading companies.”

University status Just 25km from Manorhamilton and 55km from Carrick-onShannon, ATU Sligo is the preferred choice for third-level students from County Leitrim. With a talent pool of over 3,000 graduates per annum, the designation of university status to the ATU, which includes the campus at Sligo (formerly IT Sligo), is critical for regional development and inward investment in the north west.

“With collaboration between ATU Sligo and The Hive – Leitrim’s Technology Enterprise Centre – already well established, work is ongoing to deepen the relationship and expand the ATU’s offering into County Leitrim with the objective of cultivating the local talent pool and improving access to third-level education,” the Chief Executive emphasises.

“Overall, Leitrim offers an unparalleled quality of life for people who choose to live here, while those who come to visit simply do not want to leave. Our vision is to secure as many resources as we can and sweat our existing assets to ensure that County Leitrim is optimally positioned for a very prosperous future,” Power concludes.

Profile: Lar Power A native of County Wexford, Lar Power graduated from UCD as an engineer in 1991. Following graduation, he entered the local authority sector, initially working for Wexford County Council, and subsequently in Waterford City and County Council, before moving to the north west and taking on the role of Chief Executive of Leitrim County Council in 2018.

County Leitrim: Socioeconomic overview County Leitrim is the most sparsely populated of Ireland’s 32 counties, although it has a population growth rate among the highest in the State and higher than any other Connacht counties.

The County is well connected via road to its neighbouring counties, and has direct roads to both Dublin and Derry. Its relative proximity to Ireland West Airport means that Leitrim has accessibility for travel to Britain, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

These statistics have been compiled by figures from the Leitrim County Development Plan 2023-2029 and bulletins from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Population

County Leitrim population: 35,087 – smallest in Ireland Population density: 20.1/km2 – Lowest in Ireland Population growth: 9.5% between 2016 and 2022 – 4th fastest growing population in the State and fastest growing in Connacht Source: CSO, 2022

Around 60% of the county’s adults were in the labour force in 2016 Half (50.7%) of the county’s adults were ‘at work’, below the 53.4% national average

10.3% self-employed, compared with national average of 8.3% 18.1% retired compared with 14.5% in the State Jobs to population ratio 0.24, compared to State average of 0.41 The number of people both living and working in Leitrim with this form of educational attainment increased very strongly to 2,363 (43.8%) Source: Leitrim County Development Plan 2023-29

Transport Sligo-Dublin railway runs night times daily,

Commuting patterns

includes a stop in Carrick-on-Shannon Train to Dublin takes 2 hours

437 people (11.6%) living in Leitrim and

Ireland West Airport (Knock) 40 minutes’ drive away

working in other counties

2 hours’ drive away from Dublin Airport, Shannon Airport, and Belfast International Airport N4 (Dublin-Sligo), N16 (Sligo-Enniskillen), and N15 (Sligo-Derry) all pass through Leitrim

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Employment

133 people living in Leitrim commute to work in the North Source: Leitrim County Development Plan 2023-2029

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Supporting Carrick commerce Carrick-on-Shannon Chamber of Commerce’s President Colm McGrath sits down with Ciarán Galway and Odrán Waldron to discuss the effects of Covid on business in Leitrim, a revival of the west, and how businesses are adapting to challenges such as inflation and retention of young people in the area.

Originally a Dubliner, McGrath’s time in Leitrim has encompassed challenging periods for the county, including the financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, having moved to the area in 2005.

He further makes the case that business can thrive being based in Leitrim: “I am not expecting Google to be expanding here but there is no reason why other companies which are based in Dublin could not have some people working in Leitrim and having a hub either here or in the surrounding towns.

McGrath and his wife took over a local insurance company, Brady Insurance, and have grown it from employing six people to now having a full-time staff number of more than 40, with the company having morphed into three different businesses broadly servicing the leisure, entertainment, and construction sector.

Despite this potential, however, McGrath states that challenges remain which existed for the county long before Covid. “The EU has classified the north-west of the State as a ‘lagging region’.

“When I first arrived here in 2005, every night was like a Friday night. We had hundreds of people that were working here in MBNA, they would have staff nights out on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, and there were many who would come out to view the football, but that has all changed.”

Covid challenges McGrath observes an “inverted positivity” which has emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, with an increase in remote workers moving to the area to take advantage of the cheaper costs of housing.

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“It would be more cost-effective for those companies, with office space being cheaper and their employees would get a bit more bang for their buck.”

“Government needs to be seen to invest in the northwest, hence we have seen a lot of funds coming from government and the EU for minor projects over the last 12 months, but they have to be seen to step up now on the infrastructure projects and start to grow it via investment.”

A revival of the west Emphasising the potential opportunities for the region with the expansion of remote work, McGrath says: “When you talk to people working and living in Dublin, they all tell you about how expensive a place it is to live now. Even if you are well off enough to be able to afford a house it is very difficult to even find somewhere to buy one.”

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“The full-time role will then be supported by a couple of part-time people. That will make it easier to get people into the Chamber who support different committees on a more part-time basis. At the moment there are between three to four people giving a lot of time but if we are to realise Leitrim’s full potential, we really need a full-time CEO devoting a lot of time and then maybe 10 people who can devote themselves on a part-time basis.”

Talent retention

Sitting in the Landmark Hotel, with the River Shannon and the town’s public marina to his left through the window, McGrath reflects on Leitrim’s strong tourism sector, particularly water-based activities: “The big thing there, would be if there is a continued investment into the blueway, which is combined greenway and waterside type investment where people can canoe and boat as well and walking and cycling.

“I believe that that kind of thing could extend as far as Enniskillen, at least with the greenway. That would be fantastic and could link and should go as far as Sligo this would bring a lot of tourism here, with Leitrim benefitting by being the central point of the whole project.”

McGrath is optimistic for the future of business in Leitrim and emphasises the role that can be played by the Chamber of Commerce in achieving this, with the organisation currently in the process of hiring a full-time CEO and pushing for collaboration with other towns across County Leitrim.

“My colleague, Paul O’Brien, who is acting CEO at the moment, came up with a very good vision for tourism and generating money for the Chamber called the Carrick Camino. That has generated a lot of funds and will allow us to get a full-time CEO.

A big challenge for Leitrim is the retention of young people when they reach the age of third-level education. “What we have found is that it is easier to keep families and younger people here. However, once those children reach the age of 18 and get their Leaving Cert, they go off to college, then they go further afield, and tend to not come back for a long time,” states McGrath.

However, Carrick-on-Shannon has benefitted from strong community integration, with over 34 nationalities being encompassed by the town’s 4,500 population. McGrath praises the “community liaison approach” adopted by Leitrim County Council, which has seen the council push for newcomers to learn the language and help them integrate into local communities.

“The best thing for the town was that it has been used to embracing new people with tourism being such a big sector here. It has also been helped as many locals have moved abroad before returning home to Leitrim, so they are kind to newcomers to our county.”

McGrath finishes the discussion outlining the role he hopes the Chamber of Commerce will play, liaising with Leitrim County Council, in promoting new projects which he hopes will lead to further job creation.

“We want to encourage more businesses to come in and reinvigorate the Chamber, provide support and their expertise, because there is a lot of good work which can be done here.”

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Glenview Folk Museum: Unlocking Leitrim’s past A period specific diesel station on the museum’s grounds.

Situated in the heart of Leitrim’s lake district, the Glenview Folk Museum offers visitors the opportunity to step back into the county’s past. The museum’s owner, Brian Kennedy, talks to Ciarán Galway and Odrán Waldron about his rationale for preserving his artefacts, Leitrim’s tourism potential and natural beauty, and promotes the creation of a visitor centre exhibiting the life and works of the late John McGahern.

Located outside of Ballinamore, in the townland of Aghoo, Glenview Folk Museum is incorporated into a building, which was once a bailiff’s house, one of three in the townland operating on behalf of Lord Lowther, who owned an estate in the area.

Brian Kennedy opened the museum “about 20 years ago” and explains his rationale: “I felt we were losing our heritage. That would have been a shame because young people deserve to have the chance to really feel the lived experience of their parents and grandparents. It helps them to understand where they come from.”

Kennedy, who along with his wife Teresa, runs a guesthouse and restaurant adjacent to the museum, further explains his own personal passion for “the old ways”, and the context which eventually culminated in his opening of the Folk Museum.

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usly styled

aneo a contemor m features .

The museu es cl hi ve ntage restored vi

shop street

and fully

“I just love the artefacts; the heritage is very important to me,” he says, adding: “There was a local priest here and he tried to get a Museum going in Ballinamore. I had artefacts that I was willing to donate to the museum. However, it never went further.

“That is where it initially started. I started collecting mostly agricultural tools and machines, but I quickly realised that I was leaving other interesting artefacts behind me. So, I decided that I would just collect everything that came along that I could afford to buy at the time, although it would usually be stuff that needed a fair bit of restoration.”

Tourism in Leitrim With his role alongside his wife Teresa, running the museum, guesthouse and restaurant, Kennedy is a local entrepreneur whose entire income is centred around an erstwhile booming tourism industry.

Historically, he outlines that their main source of business was from English anglers, although this has declined significantly in recent years. Kennedy rationalises: “The anglers changed from the older-style English angler to the more modern one. Similarly, there are now so many private lakes in England, stocking carp whereby anglers can get out of a car, and go straight to the lake without having to endure any hardships.”

However, describing the county’s natural beauty, Kennedy outlines how Leitrim has a special place in that it is “one of Ireland’s most naturally unspoilt counties”.

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ongst ahern’s Am John McG of py co m.

A signed Folk Museu in Glenview

splay

di Women on

A collection of McGahern’s belongings on display in the museum.

During the Covid pandemic, Leitrim had among the lowest number of confirmed cases in Ireland, “so when people went on their holidays in 2020 and 2021, a lot of them came to Leitrim”.

“It is a place that they would never have previously thought to come to, but now they realise that there is so much going on in Leitrim,” Kennedy reflects, adding: “The peace, the quiet, the friendliness of the people, all that has been recognised by an ever-greater number of people. Meanwhile, the natural beauty of the county cannot be overstated. We have the hills, we have the lakes, and the prominence of flora and fauna is significant. It is truly unique in that sense.”

Preserving McGahern Overall, the museum has several impressive collections, comprising 7,000 antique, historical, and novel items ranging from pre-famine Ireland to the recent past.

In keeping with Leitrim’s rural history, there is an impressive array of farmyard equipment, a collection of horse drawn agricultural machinery, and a thresher which, Kennedy elucidates, “show the skill and ingenuity of the designers and builders of early industrial and farming equipment”.

Another prominent feature is the museum’s ‘street scene’, which contains several reconstructed shops and a pub, all of which are stocked with an assortment of period-accurate products and equipment. Included in this section are restored examples of transport including both horse-drawn and 86

vintage motor vehicles. The museum also has an impressive collection of over 4,000 egg cups from all over the world, which were donated to Kennedy from two families in Dublin.

Kennedy tells of the latest additions to the museum, including highly prized items from the late author and Leitrim native, John McGahern, whose novels such as Amongst Women and That They May Face the Rising Sun have immortalised 20th century rural Leitrim life in literary form.

A McGahern enthusiast, Kennedy promotes the legacy of the author, and says that his roots in Leitrim ought to be celebrated locally.

He tells of how visitors from far away, including Australian and American visitors to the museum, frequently ask him about the late author. “There could be so many things done in our community in Ballinamore, with McGahern weekends, festivals, and writers’ weekends.”

He further explains that, ideally, looking to the future: “There would be a serious focus on a McGahern centre in Ballinamore which would probably involve other areas in Leitrim that he was involved in.

“Considering the fact that he spent most of his life around here in Ballinamore, it would be lovely to see a visitor centre opened up – perhaps in the derelict courthouse building.”

A Leitrim-based company with global reach Susanne Kerins, Head of Marketing at Cora Systems, talks to eolas Magazine about the company’s journey, how it has supported Leitrim people into work, and the task of running a global company from a north-western town.

Despite over 180 staff based all over Ireland, Britain, Europe, and the United States, being headquartered in Carrick-on-Shannon’s Mercantile Plaza is central to the ethos of the company and places it in the heart of the county town. “Our CEO, Philip Martin, has a huge sense of place here being from the region,” Kerins says, adding: “His whole idea of setting up the company was about creating jobs in the local area.

Philip is a huge promotor of the development of County Leitrim and is actively involved in the leadership of the County Enterprise Board, Leitrim Chamber of Commerce, and the IDA regional development programme. He has huge pride in this region, and he wants to see it grow. Our headquarters will remain in Carrick-on-Shannon; it will always be here and that is because we want to ensure that we continue to offer local people jobs and produce more and more jobs for the region.”

Covid, Kerins explains, has acted as an accelerant for Cora, which already utilised “mostly flexible working patterns” prior to the onset of the pandemic. “The

pandemic definitely opened up the talent pool for us, because it gave us a wider access to people from across the country and world. While we continue to provide jobs here in Leitrim, the Covid experience has broadened that path beyond the region.”

With the effects of the housing crisis still being felt deeply in cities, Leitrim, Kerins contends that “Leitrim is a lot more affordable”, further explaining: “The reduced cost of living is a huge thing that attracts people here. There is also the added benefit of moving back home to the county and having a better work-life balance.”

Referencing the company’s experience of “hypergrowth”, Kerins outlines Cora Solutions’ vision for the short to medium term. “In order to sustain our growth, we are planning on recruiting 200 new staff members by the end of 2024.” If the company continues to expand globally, Kerins believes there may be a need to open additional offices in the United States and Europe but reiterates that “our home will always be in Carrick-on-Shannon”.

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Founded in 1999, Cora Systems provides enterprise project and portfolio management solutions to global organisations and government agencies, giving project managers and C-level executives “the control, governance, and insight to make better decisions”.

The rise in online systems, necessitated by the rise of remote working, has led to something of a boom in business for the Carrick-on-Shannon company, with Cora having experienced growth of 228 per cent last year, according to Kerins.

Profile: Susanne Kerins

Originally from County Louth, Susanne Kerins studied marketing at Atlantic Technological University Sligo, and decided to stay in Sligo. After graduating, she worked for a Sligo engineering company for one year before beginning her career with Cora Systems.

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The Dock: A conduit for artistic learning The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon’s arts centre, is the focal point of arts in County Leitrim, helping local artists to internationalise their work. The Dock’s Director, Sarah Searson, talks to Odrán Waldron about the uniqueness of the cultural landscape of Leitrim.

Searson outlines how The Dock’s reputation is “primarily defined by visual arts, nationally and the performing arts regionally” adding: “I believe in a concept of the arts providing a range of opportunities to receive art, whether through performance, visual arts, or talks and workshop. The Dock is like a library for arts experiences.”

Explaining how The Dock has enhanced the reputation of Leitrim-based arts, she states: “If you live locally and produce art, there is an opportunity to get involved and to develop your own creativity. The Dock is an organisation with a level of porosity that delivers an interesting dynamic programme but also facilitates a wider community to make things happen.”

Immersed by history Situated on the banks of the River Shannon, The Dock – a play on the building’s former role – is located in Carrick-on-Shannon’s iconic 19th 88

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The recent Sankey/Walker exhibition on display at the Dock.

century courthouse building built in 1822 by William Farrell, a prominent Dublin-based architect active throughout early to mid-19th century Ireland, during the Georgian and early Victorian period, who was known particularly for his church and institutional designs. The building is connected to what is now the headquarters of Leitrim County Council, and was once a gaol, via underground tunnels. A Georgian mansion, previously the house of the presiding judge, sits behind the building.

Searson explains how the building’s history informs the approach taken by The Dock for the artwork exhibited within its walls. “Behind the building, where Leitrim County Council is headquartered now, was the gaol. As you approached, there were two gates through which you could see into that campus. There is an institutional memory in the building where you can see some of those ideas and very often with the visual arts, we will lean into that.

“The courthouse building came into a state of disrepair in the mid-1990s, and the community successfully fought for its

restoration. It was reinstated for use in 2005. Since then, it has become a flagship building in terms of its meaning and place within Carrick-on-Shannon. I think it is very much an established part of the community, particularly through the work that The Dock undertakes with young people.”

Educating Leitrim’s youth Searson believes the arts sector has been empowered in Ireland through its support in smaller towns, facilitating excellence.

Simultaneously, Searson emphasises the role played by arts centres at local level across Ireland in enhancing the education of young people: “When arts centres are resourced properly to engage in effective outreach projects and programmes that support people’s creativity, they can actually change the whole legibility of a town.

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“When you look at the resources of Carrick-on-Shannon, such as The Dock, the cinema, the gym, and the vibrant food culture, each of those cultural aspects contribute to an enriched quality of living. They provide the town with a uniqueness, improving its overall attractiveness and vibrancy.

While showcasing some of the leading artists in Ireland, The Dock is also working to develop several digital resources that local schools can use. “The idea of being from Carrick and from Leitrim and being able to provide this cultural hub for schools in the county pervades far beyond the artwork itself.

It is very much about cultivating ideas.

“The Dock seeks to nurture cultural interest particularly from a young age to influence their connection with art over a lifetime, so that when young people are at college or in later working life they are equipped to get involved in cultural debate, and critical discourse about arts and culture.”

A balancing act Describing the “balancing act” of programming arts within the rich cultural heritage of County Leitrim, Searson says: “The Dock produces five big exhibitions annually, each of which incorporate between two to five artists.” Illustrating the gallery’s commitment to exhibiting emerging and established artist and interesting artistic collaborations, upon the visit of eolas Magazine, the gallery is showing a commissioned collaboration between Katherine Sankey, utilising video, sculpture, and drawing to connect with senior Irish artist Corban Walker.

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“We invest heavily in those exhibitions to connect with people with the ideas and concepts at play,” Searson explains, concluding: “Additionally, we have a lot of smaller tangential events where we commission people – particularly younger artists – to undertake smaller interventions, often to reflect on their practice, so we can mediate some of their ideas beyond their studio and into the wider world using The Dock as a conduit for artistic learning.”

Profile: Sarah Searson Sarah Searson has been Director of The Dock since 2015 and will resign the role in May 2023. She led the organisation through Covid and secured major capital funding for refurbishment in 2017.

Searson has lectured at Dublin Institute of Technology (TID) and University College Dublin (UCD). She also served as Arts Officer for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for five years.

Credit: National Broadband Ireland

The Covid-19 pandemic and its change in work practices has enhanced the importance of ensuring the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in Leitrim, with government investing €56 million and over 10,000 commercial premises signing up to the scheme which will deliver high-speed broadband and enhance job creation and remote work opportunities for Leitrim’s 36,000 residents.

In terms of broadband connectivity, the Government is investing €56 million worth of high-speed broadband infrastructure in County Leitrim. The Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a network of ducting and fibre optic cable, has been installed in Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton. This can be used to provide services including telecoms, internet access, television, telematics, and CCTV. The targets of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) include: •

between 70Mbps and 100Mbps available to at least 50 per cent of the population with a majority having access to 100Mbps;

•

at least 40Mbps, and in many cases much faster speeds, to at least a further 20 per cent of the population and potentially as much as 35 per cent around smaller towns and villages; and

•

a minimum of 30Mbps available to all properties, no matter how rural and remote.

County Leitrim will benefit from the rollout of several

government-led broadband schemes including the Rural Broadband Scheme and Broadband for Schools, providing a strong advancement in relation to the digital infrastructure that has taken place within the telecommunications sector in the county.

Future of work The Covid-19 pandemic with its associated social distancing has led to a paradigm shift in terms of accepting remote work and social practices and these have become extensively prevalent. It is anticipated that many of the trends that developed in response to Covid-19 will remain, potentially speeding up the reliance on broadband.

Furthermore, the county is part of the Atlantic Economic Corridor (AEC). Under this platform, the AEC Hub Network has been developed which classifies all enterprise hubs and co-working spaces along the AEC. From this, a shared online booking system has been developed to coordinate and promote the facilities. County Leitrim has nine digital hubs within this project offering hot desk, co-working, and office accommodation for those looking for flexible office accommodation.

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Broadband connectivity

Credit: NBI

Leitrim benefitting from enhanced connectivity

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Leitrim leads on enterprise development in the northwest Leitrim County Council has recently embarked on a transformational project to provide office space and a supportive innovation focused ecosystem to growing companies in the region. The acquisition of the 112,000 sq ft Carrick Business Campus by Leitrim County Council will provide office space to companies of 10+ employees.

This fills a gap in the county for micro enterprises and startups progressing from digital hubs. It will also be an opportunity to attract indigenous small to medium enterprises (SMEs) who are planning to expand. The campus allows Leitrim to compete for FDI investment, either as a landing space, a second site operation, or a new investment into Ireland.

History

Advertorial

Carrick Campus was built to an exceptionally high-quality specification in 2002 and has been largely vacant since MBNA exited its Irish operation almost a decade ago.

Avant Money currently occupies 20 per cent of the 112,000 sq ft. A €2 million investment in redesigning two floors of over 56,000 sq ft is currently underway to facilitate flexible, collaborative workspaces to include individual offices and breakout spaces.

Leitrim County Council Chief Executive, Lar Power comments that this campus will support existing 92

micro enterprises providing space for them to scale and grow. Power highlights the importance of supporting its anchor client, Avant Money, currently employing 250 people, in its ambitious growth plans by building a financial services cluster based on the 20-year knowledge pool of financial services in Leitrim.

Leitrim County Council’s Head of Economic Development, Emer Connolly noted that the vision is to create a supportive eco-system to promote creativity, learning, research, and innovation in a collaborative environment. A Campus Manager will be recruited to work closely with key agencies, such as the Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB and Atlantic Technological University to develop programmes for the campus companies in the area of innovation, new product development, and green business initiatives.

headquartered elsewhere and can act as a disaster recovery office site for companies looking to mitigate risk of having all their employees in a single office or single geography. It can offer competitive rental rates relative to city locations.

Location While located on its own landscaped campus, the building is close to food outlets, a retail park, and leisure centre. The building is accessed from the strategic N4 Dublin-Sligo road and is located within walking distance of the town centre of Carrick-on-Shannon. The campus provides 588 car park spaces, ample bike parking, and plans to install EV chargers on the premises in Q2 2023.

Ireland West Airport is located 40 minutes from Carrick-on-Shannon and connects more than 700,000 people a year to UK and

Second site operation

international destinations. The

The campus is ideally configured to offer a second site to operations

Dublin Airport.

campus is a two-hour drive from

REGIONAL FOCUS: LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL

Leitrim County Council Our services Leitrim County Council works collaboratively with development agencies Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to support indigenous and inward investment in the county. The council can offer access to expert knowledge and local intelligence and can ensure a faster and more successful relocation or expansion.

Support is available to both national and international companies of all sizes that are considering or wish to relocate to or expand in Leitrim and includes:

Facilities

This Grade A office campus offers high security and broadband connectivity. It provides support throughout to all desks. Automated badge access control is in place at all entrances and at individual company internal doors.

The acquisition and re-development of the campus is funded by Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF).

IDA Advanced Technological Building

For companies seeking manufacturing or lab facilities, full planning permission is in place for a 21,818 sq ft Advanced Technology Building, located at IDA Business and Technology Park, Carrickon-Shannon.

Startups and remote workers

Leitrim is a great place to live, work and invest: •

A location of choice for locating

Sourcing property solutions;

•

Marketing support;

•

Advice on recruitment and training;

•

Introductions to appropriate networks, suppliers, agencies, and educational establishments; and

•

Help understand and navigate potential market opportunities.

your business, with quality office accommodation and serviced sites.

•

Leitrim has a range of indigenous and international employers across multiple sectors of medtech, technology, manufacturing, and food and drink.

•

Leitrim offers a high-quality life with excellent outdoor amenities, 16.5km of the Shannon Blueway, 100km of water trails, and the oldest rowing club in Ireland based in Carrick-on-Shannon.

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Leitrim can offer affordable housing, childcare, and excellent schools.

•

Leitrim can offer career progression and development with Atlantic Technological University located within 30 minutes offering a talent pool of 3,000+ graduates.

Global players

Leitrim is home to international as well as indigenous companies in industries such as medtech, advanced manufacturing, technology, and international financial services. Leitrim has a 20-year history of financial

services with MBNA at one time employing 1,000 employees. Today, Avant Money continues to build on this financial knowledge skill base in the region. Leitrim has a long tradition of multinational companies that have set up in the county and scaled their international operations including Vistamed, MCI, and Masonite. In 2022, FDI employment grew by 6.3 per cent in the region and many companies are actively recruiting. Indigenous entrepreneurs have chosen Leitrim to build and grow their own international companies of scale, including King and Moffatt and Cora Systems. These global industry leaders provide diverse senior level roles in engineering, applied sciences, logistics, supply chain management and more, with attractive and significant career progression opportunities.

T: 071 962 0005

Advertorial

Nine digital hubs offer flexible hot desking, office and co-working facilities in County Leitrim

•

E: info@relocatetoleitrim.ie W: www.carrickbusinesscampus.ie / www.relocatetoleitrim.ie

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Credit: Leitrim GAA

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Leitrim GAA chairman: ‘We have passion’ Enda Stenson, the chairman of Leitrim GAA, talks to Ciarán Galway and Odrán Waldron about challenges for the association in Leitrim, the future of the GAA, and ambitions for the county.

Currently serving the fourth year of a five-year term as county chairman, Stenson has firm roots in Leitrim GAA, having been a football referee for 33 years.

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Emigration

Describing his current role as “keeping things running as smooth as possible”, the Leitrim man emphasises the importance of the GAA to the social fabric in rural Ireland, stressing the need to support small clubs and ensure they are adequately resourced.

On the challenges of rural depopulation and fielding club teams in the county, Stenson remarks: “Emigration has been with us since day one in Leitrim,” adding: “We had lots of emigration up to the 1970s.

People had to go because there were no jobs. But now emigration has started again for a different reason. It is the thing to do; youngsters can go and travel for a few years. As a result, we are still losing our best.

“Many people talk about intercounty games and getting to Croke Park but that accounts for less than 5 per cent of players. I am talking about the 95 per cent of the players which never see county but are playing football and hurling. They are the people which the county board must look after and care for.”

“While we were losing them for one reason 50 years ago, we are now losing them for another. But the original factor continues to play a role; we do not have the jobs to keep young people close enough to home.

Many of them feel they have to go to Dublin, or they have to go somewhere else for their careers. We

need an industrial base in Leitrim.

Maybe we have taken the first step to achieving it as a Leitrim man has been appointed CEO of the IDA. Hopefully that will help us to keep our best and brightest within the county.”

Despite the challenges presented by emigration from the county, Stenson acknowledges that many in the Leitrim diaspora have supported the county board from afar. “The New York diaspora is absolutely splendid. I cannot speak highly enough of them.

They would do anything for us.”

This is reflected in the fact that GAA in Leitrim is currently sponsored by JP Clarke’s Saloon on McLean Avenue in Yonkers, New York. Owned and run by an Irish-American family with deep roots in the county, JP Clarke’s was the first US-based business to

Credit: Leitrim GAA

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The new stand of Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, the county pitch of Leitrim GAA.

sponsor an intercounty team in Ireland.

“We had nobody and then Seamus Clarke and his wife Caitríona Clarke, natives of Gortletteragh and Drumshanbo respectively, were approached and agreed to sponsor us.

How can we show our gratitude? It is a huge commitment for people like the Clarkes; they are a family-run business, and they did it for their county which I think is worth far more than money can buy.”

Future of the GAA Continuing with the theme of migration, Stenson insists that “depopulation of rural Ireland is a huge problem” for the GAA. “The bedrock of the GAA has been rural Ireland. I know it has essentially moved to the urban centres. However, as the big clubs in the big cities grow, we all know that it is costing a certain amount of money to keep those clubs operating.

This phenomenon is bordering on a certain level of professionalism.

Counties like Leitrim and clubs in other rural regions cannot keep up with that.”

Association in New York to fund our county teams.”

This is a challenge which is further typified by the decline of hurling in the county, with only two hurling clubs currently competing. “We have Carrick Hurling Club and Cluainín Iomáint. The enthusiasm of the people that play it cannot be questioned but the finance to keep that on the road is in doubt.”

Describing it as “our national game”, Stenson adds that he “would be disappointed to see the demise of hurling” in the county, outlining his belief that “the only reason it is being questioned now is because of money”.

‘We have passion’

Football League in March [2023], you could see the passion. People going wild with excitement.

“While some might wonder what level we must reach, we do not have to reach any level at all for that atmosphere. You win at the level you are at, and people are happy with that. Someone from Kerry or Dublin may feel that Division Four means nothing, but the wins are huge. They mean everything to us.”

The county’s supporters and facilities allow Stenson to be hopeful for the future. He concludes his discussion expressing his ambition for the county to achieve promotion to Division Three, and to be “competitive” in the Tailteann Cup.

Although emigration has presented its challenges for Ireland’s least populous county, Stenson explains how the sports facilities in Leitrim enable the county to continue “punching above our own weight”.

Whilst expressing his “great faith” in the new GAA president, County Armagh’s Jarlath Burns, fears for the future of GAA sports abound for Stenson.

“Practically every GAA club in the county has its own grounds, around 70 per cent of them have their own gym and clubroom, and I would say that around 20 per cent have an all-weather pitch. We have an excellent centre of excellence up by Annaduff with allweather facilities. That is a significant facility for Leitrim to have.”

“I do not know what type of GAA we will know in 20 years’ time because the road that we are on is unsustainable.

We are solely dependent on our friends throughout Leitrim, our Leitrim Association in Dublin, and our Leitrim

Another asset to the GAA in Leitrim, Stenson highlights, is the ever-present passion for the sports among supporters. “We have passion. If you were in Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada when Leitrim beat Laois in the National

Enda Stenson is the chairman of Leitrim GAA, a role he has held since December 2019. Before this, he was a football referee for 33 years, officiating three Connacht Senior Football Championship finals.

In addition to his role with the GAA, Stenson is a member of Leitrim County Council, having been first elected as an independent in 1999 representing the Carrick-on-Shannon LEA.

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R E G I O N A L F O C U S : Leitrim County Council

In focus: Housing in Leitrim House prices Average Leitrim house price –

€171,718

•

4.6% increase between 2021 and 2022

•

Lowest in the State

•

€136,779 below national average listing price

•

30% below Celtic Tiger prices

Average new-build house price – €175,925 Source: Daft.ie

Rent prices Average Leitrim rental price –

€930 per month

•

19% increase between 2021 and 2022

•

Fifth largest percentage increase in rent prices in 2022

•

Only county in the State below

96 Source: Daft.ie

€1,000 per month

R E G I O N A L F O C U S : Leitrim County Council

Total housing stock and vacancies Total housing stock 18,657

•

3% increase in housing stock between 2016 and 2022 2,897 vacant dwellings Vacancy rate 16%

•

692 less vacant dwelling in 2022 compared to 2016

•

19% less vacant dwelling in 2022 compared to 2016

•

1,681 unoccupied holiday homes not included in vacant dwellings number

• •

• •

17% of vacant properties are abandoned farmhouses Population increased by over 3,000 between 2016 and 2022 (10%) while the housing stock went up by just over

600 (3%)

•

21% decline in new dwelling completions in 2022

•

5% increase in 2022 of units granted planning permission

•

20% growth in standardised average rent in new tenancies in Q2 2022 was in Leitrim – highest in the State Sources: CSO and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Reasons for housing vacancy •

Renovation

362

•

With relatives

63

•

Deceased

621

•

Nursing home/hospital

142

•

For sale

260

•

Farmhouse

490

•

Emigrated

27

•

New build

71

•

Other reason

285

13% 2% 21% 5% 9% 17% 1% 2% 10%

*Percentages rounded to nearest whole numbers Source: CSO

Homelessness and emergency accommodation 56 adults in emergency accommodation (combined with Donegal) 191 Households qualified for social housing support A

7.9% increase from 2021to 2022

Sources: CSO and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage 97

RE RG EG I OI O NN AL A LF O FO CU CU S :S L: ILME EI TRRI C IM K COUNTY COUNCIL

Unspoiled and undeveloped potential Credit: Fine Gael

Fine Gael TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Frank Feighan, believes that investment is key to realising the county’s untapped potential.

What are your most significant priorities as a TD for the Sligo-Leitrim constituency?

How can County Leitrim best showcase its cultural heritage?

To assist the local authority and other agencies in continuing the investment programme for the county in the towns, and rural areas. This entails tourism, industry, broadband, and improved roads and leisure facilities.

There are many festivals across the county, showcasing our music and literary heritage and attracting many visitors, this should continue to be the focus. Many areas across the county with connections to our cultural heritage should do more to adopt and focus on them.

What is unique about representing County Leitrim?

Leitrim may have the smallest population of any county in Ireland but it is unique in its unspoiled and undeveloped potential. The quality of life is excellent and it is a great place to live and raise a family.

What are the most pressing challenges currently facing your constituents?

I think the most pressing is affordable housing. We had a glut of housing post the boom Celtic Tiger years, but now there is a real shortage, with many developers not convinced to invest in new housing developments. I hope the extension of the Croí Cónaithe scheme to cities and rural areas will allow the many vacant houses to be developed into rentable homes for many.

What extent has the post-pandemic recovery delivered a socioeconomic dividend for County Leitrim?

Working from home is now part of life, with many availing of remote working hubs spread across the county. Many have adopted the hybrid model, choosing to remain in the county on days when previously they may have travelled.

That is a fantastic dividend for the county.

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What is your vision for the future of County Leitrim?

As the best place to live, work, and raise a family. The county has a wonderful quality of life, low crime levels, and many amenities, with more in development. Additionally, it has high-quality sporting facilities and schools. All of these assets need to be further developed and enhanced to realise our vision. cxxxx

Profile: Frank Feighan Frank Feighan is a former Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy. First elected to the Dáil in 2007 for the constituency of Roscommon-South Leitrim, Feighan was nominated by the then Taoiseach for the Seanad in 2016. He was elected as a TD for Sligo-Leitrim in the 2020 General Election.

Feighan lived in both Australia and the United States in the 1980s, and has a background in business. He loves music and he is a member of Boyle Musical Society and his local choir.

Shared Services 2023 Transforming Public Service in a Digital Era Tuesday 20th June • Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin This Conference is free to attend but registration is required as places are limited.

Shared Services 2023 is taking place in Dublin on Tuesday 20th June, and will bring together key stakeholders, leaders and managers who are involved in transforming the public service through shared services.

This Conference will have a range of expert speakers from Ireland and beyond who are spearheading the transformation of shared services and will examine not only the vital role of technology, but also the critical importance that transformational leadership plays in this journey. It will also explore important questions about the future of work and digitally enabled skilled workers particularly in the context of shared services.

The Conference is being organised by the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) in partnership with the Department of Education, the Health Service Executive and the Local Government Management Agency.

Speakers include: Paschal Donohoe TD Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform

Hilary Murphy-Fagan CEO, National Shared Services Office

César Pestana President eSPap, Portugal

Libby Mason Partner EY

Bernie Kelly, Assistant Secretary Head of Financial Management Shared Services, National Shared Services Office

Joe McDonagh, Associate Professor of Business Studies Trinity College Dublin

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Kevin Kelly, General Manager – eHealth and Disruptive Technologies Health Service Executive

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RE RG EG I OI O NN AL A LF O FO CU CU S :S L: ILME EI TRRI C IM K COUNTY COUNCIL

Martin Kenny TD: Addressing imbalance Credit: Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Martin Kenny, believes that investment in sustainable enterprise can reverse the trend of rural decline and depopulation in County Leitrim.

What are your most significant priorities as a TD for the Sligo-Leitrim constituency?

The most significant priority for the area is regional development, which includes the development of infrastructure and the support structures to ensure businesses and small enterprises will be developed and retained in the region to provide sustainable, high-paid employment. A large proportion of the young people in Sligo and Leitrim attend third level, however, there are not sufficient jobs for graduates in the area.

Sligo town in particular is hugely underutilised and has the potential to be a major hub for employment and population expansion. Opportunities in developing renewable energy and the spin-offs from that can present such a bright future for the region.

There is a major imbalance in Ireland as so much of our economic development and infrastructure is in and around the capital, where it is becoming unaffordable for people to live.

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REGIONAL FOCUS: LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL

What is unique about representing County Leitrim?

County Leitrim has the lowest population in the country and has been neglected in many ways as it has poorer land from an agricultural perspective, and little industrial or commercial development. Therefore, I represent one of the places that has been given the least, but also has the most potential.

What are the most pressing challenges currently facing your constituents?

The challenges are similar to those facing most counties, particularly around housing, and access to health and mental health services. Rural decline is also a serious problem, where many of our rural areas continue to have a falling population since the time of the famine.

To what extent has the post-pandemic recovery delivered a socioeconomic dividend for County Leitrim?

The opportunity for some people to work remotely has opened up a level of opportunity.

Although access to adequate and reliable broadband services is still an issue in some parts of the county, there are also excellent broadband facilities in the new remote working hubs and in the towns across the county. As we know, good internet connection puts you at the centre of the universe, no matter where you are geographically. The unspoilt beauty of County Leitrim has been discovered by people who holidayed at home during the pandemic, and we are seeing a return of many who had visited the county on an ‘active holiday’ – cycling, camping, and surfing.

How can County Leitrim best showcase its cultural heritage?

Novelist John McGahern is one of the great sons of Leitrim, whose books sold all over the world.

We used to have the John McGahern Summer School annually, which has unfortunately fallen away now. I think there is an opportunity there to reinvigorate that. Leitrim also has, of course, the home of 1916 signatory Seán Mac Diarmada in Kiltyclogher. It is a small rural cottage, so typical of where the poor and landless Irish survived for generations.

What is your vision for the future of County Leitrim?

My vision for Leitrim is that we would reverse the rural decline and depopulation through investment in sustainable enterprise. To do so, we will need to grow employment opportunities, along with the development of first-class communications infrastructure, as well as build on the excellent leisure, cultural, and sports facilities throughout the county.

Profile: Martin Kenny TD Martin Kenny is a twice-elected TD representing the Sligo-Leitrim constituency. Kenny lives in Aughavas, County Leitrim, with his wife, Helen, and their four children.

Before he was elected to the Dáil in 2016, Kenny was a member of Leitrim County Council for over a decade.

Upon his election to the Dáil, he was appointed as Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on agriculture, food, and the marine. In the party’s front bench reshuffle in April 2023, Kenny became spokesperson for communications and transport.

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2023 11th-12th May • Croke Park, Dublin Energy Ireland 2023 will bring together all the key stakeholders in the Irish energy sector to discuss and debate the key drivers of the energy transition and the current energy price crunch. It will look forward to the developments that will decarbonise Ireland’s increasingly integrated energy system.

Key themes for 2023: •

Geopolitical context to the energy transition

•

Improving Ireland’s energy security

•

•

•

Klair Neenan, Managing Director SSE Airtricity

•

Matthew Baldwin, Deputy Director-General DG Energy, European Commission

•

John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy Bord na Móna

•

Jim Gannon, Chair Commission for Regulation of Utilities

•

Richard Murphy, Partner, Pinsent Masons

•

Andrew Hickey, Commercial Manager Hitachi

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Colm O’Neill, Partner, KPMG

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Brian Ó Gallachóir, Director MaREI Centre UCC

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Paul Mϋnnich, Director Agora Energiewende

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Catherine Sheridan, Head of Strategy Green Rebel

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Kevin O’Sullivan, Environment and Science Editor, Irish Times

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Tanya Harrington, Chair Renewable Energy Ireland

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Dave Kirwan, Managing Director Bord Gáis Energy

development

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Cathal Marley, Chief Executive Officer Gas Networks Ireland

Decarbonising Ireland’s gas

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William Walsh, Chief Executive Officer Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland

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Niamh McGovern, Partner, Arthur Cox

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Caroline Kuzemko, Reader in International Political Economy, University of Warwick

•

Michael Galvin, Director of Hydrogen and Sustainable Fuels, Simply Blue Group

•

Andy Kelly, Director, Afry

•

•

Anouk Honoré, Senior Research Fellow The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

Muireann Lynch, Senior Research Officer Economic and Social Research Institute

•

•

Joanne Moran, Generation Director, Energy and Power, Jacobs

Peter Russell, Director Huawei FusionSolar and Storage Ireland

•

Caoimhe McLoughlin, Partner, KPMG

•

Darren O’Rourke TD, Sinn Féin

Developing Ireland’s offshore

Future electricity system

Role of renewable energy technologies in the energy transition

•

Eamon Ryan TD, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

Paddy Hayes, Chief Executive, ESB

network •

•

•

wind energy resources •

Speakers include:

Importance of digital networks in Ireland’s energy future

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Hydrogen report

Sponsored by

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Energy Minister Eamon Ryan TD: ‘Vital that Ireland realises the full potential of green hydrogen’ Ahead of the imminent publication of the hydrogen strategy for Ireland, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan TD comments on its significance and balancing stakeholder confidence with a coherent policy position.

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

hydrogen report

“It is vital that Ireland realises the full potential of green hydrogen in decarbonising our economy and energy systems.”

Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan TD

The imminent hydrogen strategy for Ireland represents a key part of the country’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve its climate targets.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has stated in the National Energy Security Framework, published on 13 April 2022, that the development of an integrated hydrogen strategy for Ireland is to be prioritised, in line with the Climate Action Plan.

A key aspect of the Programme for Government is a commitment to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, committing to an average reduction of 7 per cent per year from 2021 to 2030, a 51 per cent reduction over the decade, and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The Programme for Government recognises the importance of researching and developing green hydrogen for use as a zero-emission energy source in difficult-to-decarbonise sectors such as transport and industry.

Green hydrogen has been identified in the Climate Action Plan as having the potential to support decarbonisation across several sectors including heavy goods transport, high temperature heat for industry and electricity generation. The plan envisages that green hydrogen could play a significant role in sector coupling (the increased integration of energy supply and end-use sectors), and in minimising the overall cost of decarbonisation across all sectors.

Specific actions relating to hydrogen set out in the Annex of Actions include testing the technical feasibility of safely injecting green hydrogen blends in the gas grid, assessing the potential for system integration between the electricity and gas networks, which will include the production, storage, and use of green hydrogen, and progressing research and pilot studies

regarding the use of hydrogen in the transport sector.

There are a number of other actions, such as those concerning renewable energy in the heat sector, where hydrogen is a relevant factor. Further measures set out in the plan include incentivising electrolyser production, developing storage capacity for long duration and seasonal storage of renewable energy, and colocation of electrolysers with renewable energy production infrastructure.

‘Incredible opportunity’ Hydrogen provides us with an incredible opportunity in Ireland. It provides the potential for long-duration energy storage, dispatchable renewable electricity, the decarbonisation of some parts of hightemperature processing; as well as a potential export market opportunity, given Ireland’s offshore renewable potential.

It is vital that Ireland realises the full potential of green hydrogen in decarbonising our economy and energy systems, and we are taking important steps to achieve this. The imminent hydrogen strategy for Ireland represents a key part of the country’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve its climate targets.

The strategy will provide certainty to industry on the role and priority end uses that hydrogen is envisioned to play in decarbonising our economy, delivering an important first step in the establishment of a significant hydrogen industry in Ireland.

But this is just the start. If Ireland can harness the opportunities offered by hydrogen, we can achieve our goals of a secure, integrated, zero-carbon energy system and possibly even become a net exporter of clean renewable energy.

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

hydrogen report

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Transitioning to clean hydrogen can be accelerated with the help of leadingedge technologies. Accenture’s Catherine O’Brien, hydrogen fellow at the World Economic Forum, and Aoife Aherne, Accenture’s utilities lead for UK and Ireland, share real-world examples.

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Clean hydrogen has captured global attention in the race to net zero.

Alongside its potential to decarbonise hard-to-abate industry and heavy-duty transport applications, hydrogen can play a key role at the nexus of electricity and gas systems through large-scale storage and balancing capabilities.

Hydrogen can thus complement intermittent renewables such as wind and solar energy.

However, there are challenges that need to be addressed, and rapidly, if clean hydrogen is going to play a significant role in a net zero future. Despite a healthy pipeline of global projects, only 4 per cent have reached a final investment decision with cost, standards, and certifications, infrastructure, and supply-demand dynamics amongst the key barriers1.

1.

2.

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The good news is that the European Commission has shown clear support for scaling green gases and the hydrogen economy through policy frameworks including Fit for 55, REPowerEU, and the Green Deal Industrial Plan. Closer to home, Ireland’s Climate Action Plan targets 2GW of offshore wind for dedicated hydrogen production by 20302. Ireland has a real opportunity to create a scalable hydrogen economy to support domestic decarbonisation targets, energy security and resilience.

Furthermore, there is potential for Ireland to create an export market which could attract significant green investment and green jobs. The forthcoming national hydrogen strategy is a critical catalyst to kick start the industry in Ireland.

https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/c5bc75b1-9e4d-460d-9056-6e8e626a11c4/GlobalHydrogenReview2022.pdf https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/249626/1c20a481-bb51-42d6-9bb9-08b9f728e4b5.pdf#page=null

While hydrogen can unleash many system value benefits, it also increases complexity in terms of project planning, development, operations and trading.

From Accenture’s work with a range of digital technologies, it is clear that this complexity is surmountable in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

Harnessing digital technologies to accelerate progress Unlike the early stages of the wind industry, hydrogen can benefit from the intervening decades of technological innovation to drive greater speed and efficiency. Harnessing the power of data, AI and other technologies can unlock barriers to accelerating and scaling the hydrogen economy; ultimately

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

hydrogen report

contributing to the delivery of national, European and global climate targets, as well as the creation of new value along the way.

Accenture is supporting a variety of industry initiatives aimed at accelerating the hydrogen economy through the deployment of innovative technology solutions (see example graphic ‘Digital and technology applications in the hydrogen economy’).

Digital twin industrial cluster modelling

There is an opportunity to make industrial clusters epicentres for hydrogen activity, but success will depend on significant infrastructure investment and orchestrating complex operating models involving multiple players, technologies and commercial flows in the right way. Digital twins can be used to create a digital representation of the cluster, whereby 3.

Options and trade-offs can be explored with minimal upfront investment and risk; physical infrastructure and commercial flows can be modelled to maximise returns on investment. During operation, IoT devices can feed in data via the cloud to enhance a digital twin’s real-time operational model and enable AI-powered process analytics that help cut carbon, reduce asset down-time, maximise asset lifetime, and enhance commercial outcomes.

Microsoft, Accenture, and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre are developing the foundation of a digital testbed for the Zero Carbon Humber (ZCH) partnership in the north-east of England, which aims to build the world’s first net zero industrial region. The development of this testbed has begun with the creation of a digital twin to better understand the hydrogen infrastructure and local market. It will enable the modelling of decarbonisation pathways and scenarios to assess risk, carbon abatement potential, hydrogen market evolution and the development of the UK’s hydrogen supply chain.

Built in the cloud, the digital twin will apply open data principles to predict hydrogen supply and demand based on current and forecasted consumption as well as production costs, end-user pricing and economic value creation. It

will also be used to inform hydrogen infrastructure location decisions by ingesting large data sets and modelling interacting variables, such as renewable resources, demand, grid connection and land availability.

Blockchain-powered marketplace One of the key concerns for buyers of green hydrogen is traceability to guarantee origin. With our partners at Shell and American Express Global Business Travel, Accenture launched Avelia, one of the world’s first blockchain-powered digital sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) book-and-claim solutions for business travel. The platform brings together airlines, corporates, cargo players and SAF suppliers within a trusted ecosystem that no individual company could build or access on its own.

It is the largest SAF book-and-claim project at launch, offering around one million gallons of fuel, enough to power almost 15,000 individual business traveller flights from London to New York. The pilot phase of the programme aims to demonstrate the credibility of the model, using blockchain technology to ensure secured allocation of SAF to companies and airlines after it has been delivered into the fuel network.

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Through the Transitioning Industrial Clusters initiative, the World Economic Forum – in collaboration with Accenture and EPRI – is supporting global industrial clusters to establish and accelerate the path to net zero3. Many of these clusters are enabling the hydrogen economy through aggregation of hydrogen demand to create economies of scale via shared infrastructure, reducing cost and risk for all players in the cluster.

stakeholders can experiment with multiple scenarios.

With Avelia, airlines and business customers could simultaneously reduce 4

https://initiatives.weforum.org/transitioning-industrial-clusters/home 107

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

The System Value Framework developed by the World Economic Forum supported by Accenture

hydrogen report

Economic, environmental, societal and energy value

Foreign Direct Investment

Air Quality and Health Energy Productivity and Systemic Efficiency

Jobs and Economic Impact

Water Footprint

emissions in their respective scopes, while ensuring transparency and accountability by avoiding issues such as double counting. It offers the potential to create a positive fly-wheel effect, whereby initial demand creation spurs momentum, powered by verifiable tracing technology, which in turn provides investor confidence to develop supply. The knock-on effect will accelerate industry scale-up and reduce prices over time.

System value for an inclusive transition

Advertorial

Delivering a resilient energy transition depends on delivering a just and inclusive transition. That is to say, resilience and inclusion are inextricably linked. Why does that matter? Because it means that decisions about energy systems must be holistic, and incorporate factors such as jobs, health, air quality, energy affordability, and fairness of access. Ultimately, it is about a broader definition of value as codified by the System Value Framework developed by the World Economic Forum supported by Accenture4. The framework aims to shift political and commercial focus beyond cost to 4.

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Reliability and Service Quality

Equity

CO2 Emissions

https://www.weforum.org/projects/system-value

Smart Flexibility

Resiliency and Security

include value (see example graphic above 'The System Value Framework').

While data, digital twin and other technologies can support hydrogen location, sizing and operational scenarios, end consumer and local community engagement is critical to understand sentiment towards adoption and infrastructure deployment. In California, Accenture performed a Social Listening study to understand market sentiment towards the energy transition and emerging clean energy technologies such as hydrogen. The study outcomes informed the engagement strategy to address consumer concerns and engage communities in defining the joint vision and system value outcomes for the regional hydrogen cluster.

Delivering on the promise of a hydrogen economy will require the right mix of technology and human ingenuity.

Developing the workforce capacity and new skills to serve the hydrogen economy will require planning and investment. Through the Coal to Renewables Toolkit, developed by the World Economic Forum supported by Accenture, we see examples of policy and planning best practices to approach

Infrastructure Upgrade Cost and Investment Competitiveness

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Technology can also play a key role together with understanding of the hydrogen value chain and engagement with the local community. The Greater Houston Partnership, The Center for Houston’s Future, and Accenture have teamed up to establish a Hydrogen Workforce Development programme aimed at improving the accessibility of training and job opportunities in the hydrogen economy for those from disadvantaged communities. Accenture are leveraging AI technology to support profiling the requisite skills and proficiency levels and matching these with transferable skills within the local community. The data has also enabled the development of an educational roadmap outlining the pathways for individuals in the community.

Aoife Aherne

E: aoife.aherne@accenture.com W: www.accenture.com Catherine O’Brien

5.

6.

How Ireland can prepare Through the Accelerating Clean Hydrogen initiative, the World Economic Forum supported by Accenture, developed the Hydrogen Enabling Measures Roadmap for Europe which identified key barriers which must be overcome in order to scale the hydrogen economy6. Innovation and ecosystem-wide collaboration will be required to unlock these barriers, and stakeholders in Ireland will need to work together to assess how to: 1. Prepare for standards and certification: To unlock financial investment, projects in Ireland will need to meet rigorous sustainability criteria as outlined in the EU Renewable Energy Directive. Collaboration between public and private sectors and other stakeholders will be required to ensure a practical ecosystem that guarantees the origin and sustainability of hydrogen produced.

2. Unlock demand: The potential to create anchor demand for hydrogen through aggregation around clusters, for instance around industrial and energy generation zones linked to ports, should be examined in order to support economies of scale, shared infrastructure, financing, risk and operating models between players in a cluster.

3. Scale-up supply: Significant acceleration and reform of Ireland’s permitting, consents and planning regime will be needed to bring the targeted volumes of renewables on stream in time to deliver on both electrification and green hydrogen ambitions. Furthermore, Ireland must also consider how to secure its renewable technology supply chain in a disrupted market where competition for scarce materials and resources is strong.

4. Deploy and phase infrastructure investment: Developing a hydrogen economy in Ireland will require investment in electricity, gas, storage, ports, logistics and associated infrastructure. Stakeholders across the ecosystem must work together to assess how to plan and phase the investment against supply and demand scenarios (local and export), and other societal, environmental, market and technical variables, while ensuring the evolution and deployment of grid infrastructure keeps pace.

5. Engage consumers and communities: In order to support the scale up of hydrogen supply and demand, early engagement of Ireland’s energy citizens and communities will be critical to ensuring a just and inclusive transition which unlocks system value for all stakeholders. In parallel, early planning for hydrogen workforce new skilling and re-skilling will be fundamental to ensuring Ireland has the workforce skills and capacity to support the hydrogen economy.

Advertorial

E: catherine.obrien@accenture.com W: www.accenture.com

hydrogen report

coal repurposing in a way which considers the social implications of the transition5. In Portugal, a utilities company is repurposing what was the country’s largest coal plant into a green hydrogen hub. As part of the transition programme, the utility designed an innovative just transition programme with plans for reskilling and upskilling of workers.

https://initiatives.weforum.org/micee/ctr-toolkit https://initiatives.weforum.org/accelerating-clean-hydrogen-initiative/home

Copyright © 2023 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture and its logo are registered trademarks of Accenture 109

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Rory Monaghan, Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering, University of Galway.

Towards a national hydrogen strategy In anticipation of the Government’s forthcoming unveiling of Ireland’s national hydrogen strategy, Odrán Waldron speaks with hydrogen experts Rory Monaghan and James Carton to ascertain what the experts expect.

What do you expect to see from the upcoming national hydrogen strategy?

Rory Monaghan What I expect to see is an aspirational statement of the potential for hydrogen in Ireland, especially the potential to produce hydrogen. It will talk about how hydrogen can be used as an additional route to market for offshore wind, so I think there will be a lot of statements about the positives that hydrogen can deliver. There will also be a lot of recognition of the direction of travel in Europe with respect to hydrogen, so they will talk about the European Hydrogen Strategy and some of the progress being made in countries like Germany and the Netherlands that are looking to become hydrogen importers. They will probably also point to the progress in Portugal and Spain, who are looking to become big producers.

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It will mostly be laying out the vision for what hydrogen could be; I would worry that we will not see a huge amount of concrete support or policies.

James Carton I expect it to be a nicely written document, with lots of objectives to engage with the hydrogen economy to help with the deployment of renewable energy. That will be all noted and explained well, and it will touch on the areas the Government see hydrogen being used, such as backup power.

Other than that, I think the document will not have much else.

It might mention the 2GW target for hydrogen production from offshore wind; it might give some clarity on that and how it can be achieved. Unfortunately, I am not sure if the strategy will have enough detailed targets for what needs to be achieved to reach the bigger targets that have been mentioned.

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

hydrogen report

James Carton, Assistant Professor in Sustainable Energy, Dublin City University.

What would you hope to see from the strategy?

Rory Monaghan What I would hope to see would be something that would resemble in structure the German hydrogen strategy. What they have got are specific targets, dates, and actions. Some of the specific approaches that I would like to see would be mandates for hydrogen production; we have got this target for 2GW of offshore wind being dedicated to hydrogen production for 2030.

How is that going to be delivered and enforced? That is just production, and we have a real focus on the potential production of hydrogen in Ireland.

The other side is the market and the demand for hydrogen. What are we going to do to stimulate demand for hydrogen in Ireland? If we export it all, we are missing value. I would like to see statements around implementing the alternative fuels infrastructure requirement, which would set specific targets for where and how many hydrogen filling stations there should be.

There has been talk in the Department of Transport around east coast and west coast hydrogen corridors, so I would like to see some mention of them in there as a way to stimulate demand. What is going to be said around the burning of hydrogen in gas stations? I would like it if there was some sort of incentive or requirement for gas power plant operators to burn hydrogen.

There is a support scheme in the Climate Action Plan for zero emissions vehicles, but it is not particularly big, and so having that expanded massively for heavy duty vehicles would be very important. It would be good to see how government plans to help set a price for hydrogen. The American Inflation Reduction Act has come out with a tax credit worth $3/kg, which is very generous, and the British Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation has a subsidy of £7/kg, so is Ireland looking at a similar level of support?

The final thing is planning; how do we speed up planning and permitting? If it is a block of renewables, then there

is going to be no electricity source for hydrogen production, so if hydrogen producers are going through that block and then an additional block on hydrogenspecific infrastructure, that could damage a lot of projects, so I would like to see something in there on planning and permitting.

James Carton I would like to see acknowledgement that Ireland is on par with Europe. The EU has its own objectives and Ireland recognises that it is behind, but it wants to contribute to the European targets; I think that statement would be important to align us with Europe and REPowerEU. Aligning ourselves at that level would also mean that I would like to see more ambition. The Government has mentioned the 2GW target a number of times but has not locked it self into what that means. I would like to see that put into the strategy with some realistic figures around it, such as a certain date and how it proposes to support the development. For example, offshore wind development needs grid connection by 2030, but if you are producing hydrogen offshore, you may not need grid connection. We need clarity on that and how it might enable both electricity and other applications other than electricity.

I would also like to see recognition for how hydrogen can be used in various industries in Ireland, not just the basic language that says hydrogen can back up renewables.

There are lots of options for hydrogen, and I would like to see specific sectors mentioned. One could be transport, and the Government could detail how it sees it working there and aligning with what is happening in Europe and the UK. Finally, I would like to see a budget to get hydrogen going. It could be part of the Covid recovery funds, the funds for getting off Russian gas, European funds, a carbon tax, or a windfall tax. There should be a budget to kick-off the hydrogen economy, put into certain projects and clusters. I would like to see some commitment funding for some of these initial lighthouse projects.

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The road forward for hydrogen in Ireland

SSE Renewables is leading the delivery of Galway Hydrogen Hub (GH2), Ireland’s first Hydrogen Valley, with consortium partners including NUI Galway, the Port of Galway, CIÉ Group and Bus Éireann, Aran Islands Ferries, Lasta Mara Teo, Aer Arann Islands, and SSE Renewables. Pictured at the launch are (from left) Rory Monaghan, University of Galway, John O’Sullivan, SSE Renewables, and Caoimhe Donnelly, CIÉ Group.

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Ireland is on the path to net zero. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act of 2021 sets out that the country must reach net zero emissions no later than 2050, with a 51 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030. To reach this target, it is clear that the electricity sector is going to have to do the heavy lifting, with Ireland’s wind power potential an area of strength.

When it comes to developing this renewables-led future, SSE Renewables, Ireland’s largest operator of wind power, continues to lead the way. The company has an ambitious Irish offshore pipeline of up to 4GW, which includes the country’s most advanced offshore project Arklow Bank Wind Park Two off the coast of Wicklow, 112

and the Celtic Sea Array and Setanta Wind Park projects which are located off Ireland’s south and north-east coasts respectively. In the last few weeks, SSE Renewables also announced it is seeking an investigative foreshore licence to facilitate survey work for a possible new offshore wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Tarbert,

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An employee at SSE’s Keadby site where there are plans to build the world’s first 100 per cent hydrogenfuelled power station.

Oonagh O’Grady, SSE Renewables’ Director of Power to X

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“Hydrogen could be utilised in power stations, heavy goods vehicles, and, in the longer term, aviation and shipping. This will deliver greater flexibility to a future energy system that has an even greater penetration of renewable generation.”

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Credit: Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm/SSE Renewables.

hydrogen report SSE Renewables is leading the exploration of how surplus wind production from onshore and offshore energy can be used as a feedstock to create green hydrogen to replace fossil fuels like diesel and natural gas.

County Kerry. The wind farm could generate up to 1GW of clean, renewable energy and marks SSE’s first licence application for an offshore wind project off the west coast of Ireland.

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Looking beyond wind power, it is clear that other clean solutions are going to be required, not only for the generation of electricity but for other hard to decarbonise parts of the economy. For Oonagh O’Grady. SSE Renewables’ Director of Power to X, this underlines the need for us to investigate how we can use our expansive renewable energy in other ways. This includes the potential for Power to X – using electricity to create other forms of energy such as hydrogen gas or its derivate fuels and e-heat solutions. This type of technology has the potential to complement the electrification-led decarbonisation of Ireland while maximising the use of our greatest natural occurring resource, renewable energy.

As O’Grady outlines: “We now need to investigate how hydrogen and other Power to X solutions can play a part, and what is needed to deliver these technologies both from a technical, business model and market design perspective”.

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The potential for hydrogen in Ireland is an area of increased interest across the industry. As O’Grady explains: “The focus for offshore wind is, correctly, how it can deliver Ireland’s energy security and independence. Beyond that, Ireland’s significant and plentiful homegrown renewable energy potential could be used in other ways. We can use surplus wind production as a feedstock to create green hydrogen through the process of electrolysis. This could be used as a low carbon replacement for fossil fuels like diesel and natural gas. This hydrogen could be utilised in power stations, heavy goods vehicles, and, in the longer term, aviation and shipping. This will deliver greater flexibility to a future energy system that has an even greater penetration of renewable generation.”

To support this goal, SSE Renewables is developing the Galway Hydrogen Hub (GH2) project, as part of a seven member consortium. GH2 will position Galway as the home of Ireland’s first hydrogen valley, providing green hydrogen for use in transport, industry, and within local communities in the greater Galway region. The GH2

consortium’s intention is to develop a flagship pathfinder project at The Port of Galway, for the indigenous production and local supply of clean green hydrogen fuel for public and private vehicles.

Decarbonising flexible generation When the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine, Ireland will need a low-carbon flexible back-up. Future power stations have the potential to be powered by green hydrogen. For its part, SSE is taking the bull by the horns and placing low-carbon projects at the top of its strategic agenda.

As Peter Cunningham, SSE Thermal’s Head of New Ventures, outlines: “Our vision is ambitious but simple: To be the leading provider of low-carbon flexible energy in a net zero world. That means managing our business to help keep the lights on today while transforming our business to provide that same flexibility without emitting carbon in the future.”

SSE owns and operates four thermal power stations in Ireland, including sites at Tarbert on the Shannon Estuary in County Kerry, Rhode in County Offaly and Tawnaghmore, south of Killala in County Mayo. Rounding out the quartet is Great Island, the newest CCGT in Ireland and one of the most-efficient power stations on the island, generating enough electricity to power half-a-million Irish homes.

SSE Thermal is already bringing forward the next generation of lower-carbon power stations, with two plants in

Peter Cunningham, SSE Thermal’s Head of New Ventures development at Tarbert and Platin which would initially run on biofuels with the potential to convert to hydrogen in the future. In April, SSE won 10-year capacity agreements at each site, highlighting the role it can play in Ireland’s future energy system.

As Cunningham outlines: “Not only does hydrogen present an opportunity to utilise our offshore wind potential, it also provides a pathway to reduce Ireland's reliance on imported fossil fuels thereby enhancing security of supply. It is a lowcarbon solution tailor-made for flexible generation. It can replace fossil fuels in thermal generation, with 100 per cent hydrogen-fuelled plants producing zero carbon emissions at the point of combustion.”

SSE Thermal is embarking on several low-carbon flexible projects in the UK including in the north-east of England where they are developing plans for one of the world's first major 100 per centhydrogen-fuelled power stations, with a peak demand of 1,800MW of hydrogen.

SSE Thermal is also developing what could be one of the world's largest hydrogen storage facilities, with an initial expected capacity of 320GWh – enough to power 860 hydrogen buses for one year. They also have plans to decarbonise a gas-powered unit by blending hydrogen.

Ireland’s hydrogen strategy With the Government due to publish Ireland’s first hydrogen strategy later in the year, Oonagh O’Grady believes this will be a critical first step in establishing the role hydrogen will play in Ireland’s energy system and Ireland’s role in the wider hydrogen market.

“Hydrogen undoubtably has as a potential role in our energy system, but we now require the Government to define what its ambitions are and where it would like to see hydrogen being used.”

She adds: “Fundamental to the success of hydrogen in Ireland is the need to identify the optimal usages and develop effective incentives for the use of hydrogen, along with the enabling infrastructure required to link production with demand. We need to clearly define the intended uses for hydrogen in Ireland, including our export ambition and how Ireland can be competitive versus other countries.”

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Just as Great Island represented a step change from the previous generation of power stations when it opened seven years ago, so too will the next generation of thermal plants. The sector has already seen a major shift in how these stations operate. Where once they ran almost constantly, now they are more flexible in nature, responding to variations in demand and intermittent renewables supply whilst providing additional system stability services.

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O’Grady adds: “The opportunity could go beyond just domestic. Ireland has one of Europe's best offshore wind resources which could potentially be used to provide Europe with energy – whether that be in the form of electricity or as green hydrogen. For green hydrogen exports, business models, full value chain economics, and transmission solutions will determine the scale of this opportunity.”

“Not only does hydrogen present an opportunity to utilise our offshore wind potential, it also provides a pathway to reduce Ireland's reliance on imported fossil fuels thereby enhancing security of supply. It is a low-carbon solution, tailor-made for flexible generation.”

W: www.sserenewables.com W: www.ssethermal.com

As Cunningham says: “The experience we are gaining through these diverse projects will undoubtedly stand us in good stead when it comes to delivering the right low-carbon solutions for Ireland, and there is no reason why Ireland cannot be a leader in hydrogen.”

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Hydrogen and Climate Action Plan 2023 The headline provision for hydrogen contained within Climate Action Plan 2023 is the revision of Ireland’s offshore wind targets, with 7GW now to be operational by 2030, including 2GW specially pledged to the production of green hydrogen.

Announced before the official publication of Climate Action Plan 2023, the second of annual updates to the original Climate Action Plan, and the first to be prepared following the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, the increase in the offshore wind targets was made official within the 2023 update as part of a major increase in Ireland’s renewable energy ambitions, as the Government aims for a 75 per cent reduction in emissions in the electricity sector by 2030.

Green hydrogen is mentioned within the 2023 Climate Action Plan as a key performance indicator for 2030 with regard to the accelerated generation of renewable energy, with its production from surplus renewable electricity included as one of five key indicators under that theme. The continued production of green hydrogen specifically from the 2GW of offshore wind included in the 7GW target is a 116

2031-2035 measure along with the design of a roadmap for a net zero power system.

Under the theme of accelerating flexibility in electricity, hydrogen will play a role in the generation of zero emission gas, and will commence by 2030.

Hydrogen is also said to be key to the abatement of industrial emissions within the plan, with policies relating to hydrogen and carbon capture and storage slated for the third carbon budget period (2031-2035), with the plan warning that the Government “will need to start preparing regulatory and policy frameworks for longer-term measures such as hydrogen” within the period of the first two carbon budgets (present-2030). Carbon abatement in industry is said within the plan to require “improvements in energy efficiency… and increased supply and use of biomethane and green hydrogen”.

Green hydrogen is specifically

mentioned for its potential in generating carbon-neutral heat for industry, but “is expected to have limited impact until after 2030”.

The Department of Transport’s crossborder work with the Department for the Economy in the North, researching the safety regulation and interoperability of green hydrogen refuelling throughout Ireland under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach’s Shared Island Fund, is also mentioned within the plan, with the plan outlining that a second phase of the research, concerning the feasibility of said refuelling being organised on a crossborder basis, will progress in 2023.

Concrete targets for hydrogen outside of the 2GW of offshore wind for its production remain scarce, meaning that industry will continue waiting for the publication of the hydrogen strategy for Ireland for further clarity.

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

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Power-to-X: The potential role of Ireland’s hydrogen economy

Assistant Professor in Sustainable Energy at Dublin City University, James Carton, speaks to eolas Magazine about Power-to-X and the shape that Ireland’s potential hydrogen economy could take.

“Power-to-X, X being hydrogen in this case, means you are producing power from excess, curtailed, constrained, or dedicated renewable generation via electrolysis,” Carton explains.

“Hydrogen is also a base element for lots of chemicals, which is where X could be converted from power to hydrogen to ammonia, methanol, kerosene, hydrogen peroxide, and another handful of chemicals.

“By 2050, any industry in the country that uses those materials will have to have zero carbon emissions. The idea of hydrogen is in using excess electricity; you do not rob Peter to pay Paul. Industry is very important in this, using electricity but also hydrogen for inputs and some heat and transport uses.”

With the Government aiming for a 51 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 and a net zero atmosphere by 2050, Carton says that hydrogen, most likely green hydrogen, has the potential to be transformative and backs the Climate Action Plan’s provision for its use in hard-to-decarbonise sectors and as a backup for renewable energy storage.

While a hydrogen strategy has not yet

been finalised, Carton points out that electrolysis is happening in Ireland: BOC’s plant in Dublin; Intel’s use of it to produce microchips; Hygen Energy in Ballymena; and other plans are afoot across the country in Galway, Cork, Clare, Belfast, Mayo, and Dublin.

“most likely have the opportunity to go green and nothing else”. Costs will also play a key role. “If you want to inject hydrogen into the gas grid, you will probably have to produce hydrogen for less than €2/kg (€0.06/kWh),” Carton says.

Development of storage will also be crucial, as Carton points out: “There is over 400MW of battery storage installed today; that is interesting for grid balancing but it works on less than half hour storage. Once you go beyond 24 hours of grid management, you need storage in the TW scale. In Ireland, we have potential in the south and the west, but we have massive opportunities in salt caverns in the east and at Larne in the North. These are geological storage capable, two to three kilometres beneath the ground, with all the technology we have developed since the 1970s for methane across the world.”

“Today, we cannot do that, in 2030 we probably will be aiming for that, by 2040 we will easily produce it for cheaper.

The optimal price for hydrogen for the next 10 years is around €5/kg (€0.15/kWh), so if supports come in, they should match that, which does not include the costs of moving hydrogen.”

The colour of the hydrogen used will be key to Ireland’s environmental targets; with current trajectories meaning that the State will have to pull carbon from the atmosphere to meet those targets, Carton says that Irish hydrogen will

Concluding, Carton says that the most important aspect will be a whole-system approach that does not foreswear any options and maintains an eye on 2050: “We are running models with SEAI, and we are even putting nuclear in there because we want to understand how it can engage with our energy system. We are putting everything on the table, let the policymakers take things off the table. We need to plan for 2030 but think for 2050. We do not want to build infrastructure for today that we end up decommissioning in 2035.”

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The gas network: Ireland’s hydrogen-ready infrastructure

In March 2023, Gas Networks Ireland hosted the German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce and a special delegation from the State of Hessen at its Future Lab at the Network Innovation Centre as part of its fact-finding tour on hydrogen. Photograph shows members of the delegation trying to spot the difference between the kettle being boiled on 100 per cent natural gas cooker flames and the kettle on the cooker flames of a blend of 20 per cent hydrogen with 80 per cent natural gas.

In line with the latest Climate Action Plan (CAP), there is a need to decarbonise the national gas network with renewable gases. Gas Networks Ireland is now working on replacing natural gas with renewable gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen, to substantially reduce the country’s carbon emissions while complementing intermittent renewable electricity and ensuring a secure energy supply.

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Replacing natural gas with renewable gases and using the existing renewablesready 14,664km national gas network can reduce carbon emissions across a number of key sectors while also enhancing Ireland’s energy security and diversity. Ireland’s national gas network is a ready-made decarbonisation solution that can be leveraged to accommodate biomethane made from farm and food waste and hydrogen produced from offshore wind.

Biomethane: Renewable gas of the now Structurally identical to natural gas, biomethane is a carbon neutral renewable gas that can be made from

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farm and food waste through a process known as anaerobic digestion. Gas Networks Ireland first introduced domestically produced biomethane onto Ireland’s gas network more than two years ago and it is beginning to seamlessly replace natural gas and is fully compatible with existing appliances and technology.

and EU energy systems and a strong example of how greater integration between Ireland’s gas and electricity networks can support a low carbon economy.

Green hydrogen: Renewable gas of the future

Gas Networks Ireland has been working with University College Dublin’s Energy Institute (UCDEI) on a research project at its network innovation centre to investigate the potential use of hydrogen in Ireland and find out if we can heat homes and cook dinners with this renewable gas. The initial part of the research concluded in late 2022 and

Green hydrogen is a carbon free gas that can be made from renewable electricity through a process known as electrolysis and stored until needed, making it an attractive option to decarbonise the Irish

Testing blends of hydrogen gas on the network

connected to the new European hydrogen backbone via a repurposed subsea pipeline to the Moffat interconnector in Scotland.

Academic partnerships

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Gas Networks Ireland is one of a number of industry players funding a new €16 million strategic partnership with Irish third level institutions that will examine how to holistically decarbonise the overall Irish energy sector. Led by UCDEI, NexSys (Next Generation Energy System) is also supported by Science Foundation Ireland.

Hydrogen technical and safety feasibility study The Government’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) sets out detailed measures to cut emissions and meet Ireland’s targets in each sector. One of the actions is to develop renewable gas in the gas grid.

As part of this Gas Networks Ireland produced a technical and safety feasibility study of injecting green hydrogen blends into Ireland’s gas network. In line with other UK and European studies, this assessment has concluded that utilising the existing gas network to transport up to a 20 per cent hydrogen blend is safe and feasible.

The European Hydrogen Backbone map shows the hydrogen network of 39,700km by 2040 comprising of 70 per cent repurposed gas networks connecting 21 European countries www.ehb.eu

found that householders using natural gas blended with up to 20 per cent of hydrogen will not need to make any change to their existing domestic appliances or notice any difference and even the flame motion and colour is very similar to the flame produced with 100 per cent natural gas.

The report is available at: www.gasnetworks.ie/hydrogen-blend

With our European neighbours, Gas Networks Ireland is participating in a major project to help the European Union meet its new accelerated goals and radically increase the use of hydrogen by 2030. The European Hydrogen Backbone initiative is focused on planning for the future development of a European hydrogen market through new panEuropean hydrogen transport infrastructure. Five large-scale hydrogen pipeline corridors are envisaged.

These new corridors will initially connect domestic local hydrogen supply and demand in Europe, before expanding and connecting European regions amongst each other, and then connecting neighbouring regions with hydrogen export potential. The planned hydrogen backbone network will largely be based on repurposing existing natural gas infrastructure. It is envisaged that by 2040, for example, Ireland could be

National hydrogen strategy As part of the Government’s development of a national hydrogen strategy, Gas Networks Ireland made a submission outlining the central role Ireland’s gas network plays in Ireland’s future clean energy and hydrogen economies and how it is preparing the existing gas network to accept hydrogen/natural gas blends from the UK as well as preparing for the injection of green hydrogen at appropriate locations into the gas network.

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The research results also outlined that significant reductions in emissions can be achieved by blending hydrogen with natural gas; including the following average reductions for domestic gas boilers operating at maximum load conditions – a 12 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2), a 37 per cent reduction in carbon monoxide (CO) and a 40 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The next phase of the research will focus on the operation of the gas distribution network with blends of natural gas and hydrogen.

European Hydrogen Backbone

The report is available at: www.gasnetworks.ie/hydrogen-study

T: 1800 411 511 E: hydrogen.enquiries@gasnetworks.ie W: www.gasnetworksireland.ie

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

EU pushing hydrogen development As part of the EU’s push to reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas imports, the REPowerEU plan has set a European target of 10 million tonnes of domestic renewable hydrogen production by 2030, to be complemented by a further 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen imports.

Although an EU-wide target has been set, the responsibility for member states is to set their own hydrogen strategies. Therefore, this target does not delegate a level which must be reached by each respective member state.

In order to achieve the target of domestic renewable hydrogen production foreseen in REPowerEU, total investment needs are estimated at between €335 billion and €471 billion, including between €200 billion and €300 billion needed for additional renewable energy production. The vast majority of this will come from private funding, but public funding (through the EU financial instruments and state aid) can play an important role in pump priming so as to increase the ability in leveraging private investment, especially in the initial stages of establishing a European hydrogen market.

With the level of required funding in mind, on 16 March 2023, the European Commission announced plans to establish a European Hydrogen Bank (EHB). The Commission is intending for the EHB to cover and lower the cost gap between renewable hydrogen and fossil fuels for early projects. The Commission hopes to achieve this by the establishment of an auction system for renewable hydrogen production to support producers through a fixed price payment per kilogramme of hydrogen produced for a maximum of 10 years of operation.

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Targeted H2 use by sector in 2030 (Mt H2)

Ammonia/derivatives Blending

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Power generation Synthetic fuels Blast furnaces Petrochemicals (Ammonia) Transport Industrial heat Refineries Bunker fuels

The first pilot auctions are currently being designed and they are due to be launched in autumn 2023, backed by €800 million from the Innovation Fund.

The bank will create an EU auction platform offering “auctions-as-aservice” for member states, using both Innovation Fund and member state resources to fund renewable hydrogen projects without prejudice to EU state aid rules.

Another central focus of the EU hydrogen strategy is the doubling of the number of hydrogen valleys in the EU by 2025, with Ireland’s first hydrogen valley currently being created off the coast of Galway. At the time of the publication of REPowerEU, there were 23 hydrogen valleys in the EU. This number is now 25, with an additional two in the United Kingdom.

Beyond using renewable hydrogen in industry and transport, it is necessary to look at other sectors where hydrogen uptake could be increased without causing harm. The Commission has stated that blending hydrogen into the natural gas grid requires “careful consideration as it diminishes gas quality,” adding that it “can increase overall system costs and the costs of heating for the residential sector, and it is in most applications a less efficient alternative to direct electrification”.

Blending up to around 3 per cent by volume of renewable hydrogen in the gas grid may absorb about 1.3 million tonnes of hydrogen and replace 4.7 bcm natural gas. However, this will require considering all consequences and costs of blending, including overall system costs and adaptation costs for household and industrial end users. For example, the costs for end-users and infrastructure operators to adapt to a 5 per cent blending level (by volume) would amount to around €3.6 billion per year.

Development of a State hydrogen strategy Currently, Ireland’s hydrogen strategy is being developed, with consultations being reviewed as of April 2023. A hydrogen strategy is a key development goal and is being done under the aegis of Climate Action Plan 2021, which itself is heavily influenced by the European Green Deal.

In Ireland, the development of a hydrogen strategy is one of the key priorities in the plans outlined in the National Energy Security Framework, which aims to ensure the affordability and sustainability of Ireland’s energy supply.

This prospective hydrogen strategy is set in the context of three prongs of EU hydrogen development:

1. From the present to 2024, the EU will support the installation of at least 6GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers, and the production of up to 1 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen across member states.

2. From 2025 to 2030, it recognises that hydrogen needs to become an intrinsic part of an integrated energy system, with at least 40GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers and the production of up to 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen in the EU. 3. From 2030 onwards, it sets out that renewable hydrogen will be deployed at a large scale across all hard-to-decarbonise sectors.

The State hydrogen strategy is due for publication before summer 2023. With Climate Action Plan 2023 already earmarking 2GW of offshore wind development for the development of green hydrogen, it is expected that the sector will see significant expansion, particularly for transitioning Ireland’s car-reliant transport system. Ireland’s location makes it an important asset for the EU and, if successful in its hydrogen endeavours, could make the State among the most influential energy producers in Europe.

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Delivering net zero with hydrogen: The key to an integrated and secure energy system

ESB is investing in Ireland with more than €1 billion spent every year towards our goal of delivering a zero-carbon energy future. Hydrogen will feature prominently in these future investment plans. Aodhán McAleer, Hydrogen Manager at ESB, discusses the rationale behind the role of renewable hydrogen in the transition to net zero.

The role of hydrogen

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Over the past couple of years, policy discussions on renewable hydrogen have evolved beyond just its ability to decarbonise the energy system but also to its vital role in security of energy supply. The evolving geopolitical landscape has highlighted the need to focus on energy security, with increased urgency to develop a resilient energy system. EU legislators turned their attention to bolstering Europe’s energy resilience, to provide a policy pathway to energy independence through green hydrogen production and sufficient energy storage capacity. Now, more than ever, we must continue our focus on climate action through homegrown clean electricity to improve energy independence and improving long-term 124

resilience and affordability. An unwavering focus is required to increase Ireland’s renewables, drive the production of green hydrogen, and develop storage capacity for the country’s hydrogen in order to meet climate and security of supply objectives.

Harnessing Ireland’s renewable potential ESB is playing a key role in the delivery of Ireland’s climate objectives across the energy sector and has committed to achieving net zero by 2040. At national level, there is a legally binding target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and an interim target to reduce carbon emissions by 51 per cent by 2030 from a 2018 baseline.

The energy from Ireland’s abundant onshore and offshore wind resources can be converted into renewable green hydrogen using an established technology, electrolysis, to provide clean, reliable, and storable energy. Over the next decade, developing and scaling our hydrogen economy will require significant levels of investment. The forthcoming national hydrogen strategy will set out the Government’s vision for the 2GW of offshore wind earmarked for green hydrogen production. This provides a unique opportunity to decarbonise the energy consumption of large-scale energy users currently using fossil fuels, with the potential to scale and attract new low carbon industries around the coast of Ireland.

The first step in achieving this will be to harness Ireland’s renewables. While early green hydrogen projects will use existing onshore renewables, our significant homegrown offshore wind resources will enable Ireland’s green hydrogen sector to grow at scale. We have the resources to match our ambition. As noted in the Climate Action Plan, this requires dialling up to 9GW onshore wind, 8GW solar and at least

7GW of offshore wind by 2030 – with 2GW earmarked for green hydrogen production.

Our analysis shows that an integrated net zero energy system will require >30GW of offshore wind, hydrogen production capability >15GW, subsea hydrogen storage of circa 90 days, and backup dispatchable zero-carbon power generation >10GW.

Hydrogen economy The significant step in building the hydrogen economy is to incentivise the production of renewable hydrogen.

Hydrogen producers need a line of sight to customers who want to use their product, this can be achieved by signalling much stronger ambition around the decarbonisation of the transport or heavy industry sectors that are not easily

Cluster development

Replace fossil fuels

Provide lease arrangements for sub-sea hydrogen storage

Prioritise and incentivise investment in hydrogen valleys

Hierarchy of use for renewable hydrogen consistent with EU policy

Set national targets for largescale storage in line with best practice in other European jurisdictions: 2TWh target for 2030 and >10TWh for 2050

Accelerate the development of offshore wind and hydrogen production through timely consenting processes to meet 2030 targets

Support mechanism for hydrogen production and consumer ‘fuel switching’ support

Develop funding model for large-scale storage similar to other EU member states to regain competitive ground and secure energy independence

Smart innovative use of existing infrastructure and hybrid grid connections

Introduce ambitious hydrogen targets to replace fossil fuels in transport, industry and dispatchable electricity power generation

electrified but could switch to using zero carbon hydrogen and by incentivising zero carbon dispatchable electricity generation where methane gas is replaced with zero carbon hydrogen.

Aside from the environmental benefits associated with developing zero carbon dispatchable energy, it will enhance security of supply when meteorological conditions mean wind and solar resources are not enough to meet demand. Financial supports will also be necessary to lure energy users away from lower-cost, readily available fossil fuels.

This concept of hydrogen valleys and

The final building block for the hydrogen economy relates to large-scale energy storage. Primary energy security is currently provided by storage reserves of oil and coal, and by gas interconnection with Britain. These fossil fuels provide baseload energy and most of the flexibility to balance supply and demand on the system. In a zero-carbon system based on high levels of wind, there will be times of imbalance on the system as both demand and supply fluctuate.

Alternatives to fossil fuels are needed that offer cheap, large capacity and long duration storage options, and which provide flexibility and balancing solutions.

dispatchable power generation. By

Subsea geological storage of green hydrogen can provide this through largescale seasonal storage of renewable energy. Due to the long lead times involved in developing subsea hydrogen storage, effective market solutions are needed urgently to provide investors with a clear route to market. ESB is currently partnering with dCarbonX/Snam on the development of renewable hydrogen subsurface storage as part of hydrogen valleys and clusters in the east (Dublin), south (Cork) and west (Shannon Estuary).

zero and playing our part in the

clusters, currently being promoted by the EU, where all the elements of renewable hydrogen production, storage, and enduse are in an integrated ecosystem is an efficient cost-effective approach that supports balanced regional economic development and should be incentivised.

They are key to kickstarting and rapidly scaling hydrogen supply and demand, especially around industrial clusters where hydrogen infrastructure could be shared amongst multiple users in proximity, including zero carbon locating these clusters on coastal sites, port infrastructure can be leveraged to enable export of hydrogen and, hence, achieve a scale to lower the cost of green hydrogen.

Net zero energy system Renewable hydrogen coupled with offshore wind is a compelling proposition to accelerate decarbonisation as part of the larger integrated zero-carbon energy system. As part of our strategic vision, ESB is invested in the delivery of net

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In order to enable the timely delivery of projects, we should leverage existing infrastructure where possible to bring this energy ashore. One obvious way to do this is to use hybrid grid connections, which allows new renewable generation to link into existing grid connections. Two or more forms of generation could share a single connection to the grid and because their combined output would not exceed the existing connection capacity at any one time, no capacity upgrades would be required.

Storage

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There is broad agreement across industry that project attrition along the development pathway, particularly in relation to planning consents, is inevitable. Plans must provide a sufficient level of contingency to give confidence that the initial 5GW target by 2030 will be achieved from an offshore wind perspective, this means procuring more than 5GW from the first two offshore RESS auctions to allow contingency for delays and project attrition. We should accelerate the development of floating offshore wind (FLOW) to capture the full potential of the Celtic Sea and Atlantic Ocean beyond 2030, regain the competitive ground we have lost to other countries pushing ahead with developing local FLOW supply chains, and demonstrate Ireland’s willingness to play its part in the REPowerEU plan. FLOW technology is proven in other jurisdictions. The Scotwind leasing round has shown both the appetite for FLOW, with 17.8GW of FLOW projects awarded leases, and the confidence of the major developers. A strong offshore wind sector at scale is a prerequisite for driving a green hydrogen economy of scale. We believe a green hydrogen economy is essential to deliver Ireland’s net zero future.

Key enablers to develop Ireland’s green hydrogen sector:

foundation of the four large infrastructure elements required, namely renewables, hydrogen, storage, and zero-carbon dispatchable power generation, to deliver a secure, resilient, reliable net-zero integrated energy system for generations to come.

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Scotland’s hydrogen journey Katy McNeil, Head of the Scottish Government’s Ireland Office, outlines the details of Scotland’s growing hydrogen value chain, the scope for collaboration with Ireland, and the lessons learned during Scotland’s hydrogen journey.

Contextualising the Scottish decarbonisation journey, McNeil recalls the first decarbonisation strategy under then-First Minister, Jack McConnell, which initially targeted 40 per cent of Scotland’s electricity to be powered by renewable energy sources by 2020, a target which she remembers was initially regarded as “too ambitious”.

In 2011, a new administration in Scotland increased the renewable electricity target to 100 per cent by 2020. McNeil recounts: “Similarly, at that time, critics suggested that our ambition was 10 years too premature”.

Although the Scottish Government did ultimately miss its target, its success in delivering 97 per cent renewable-powered electricity by 2020 was nevertheless widely acclaimed.

Scottish Hydrogen Action Plan In December 2022, the Scottish Government announced its Hydrogen Action Plan. As the 126

nation continues to transition its energy model away from oil and gas, McNeil explains that hydrogen production and exportation is “a big opportunity for [Scotland], economically, as well as in terms of clean air and energy independence”.

The Hydrogen Action Plan sets an ambition of 5GW of installed hydrogen production by 2030, and 25GW by 2045.

McNeil explains: “This could add in the region of £5 billion plus per year to the Scottish economy. Furthermore, our modelling suggests that we could create anything between 70,000 and 300,000 jobs in the hydrogen sector alone.”

Identifying hydrogen as the “gas for the future”, McNeil lists off its projected uses including the role it can play in replacing carbon-emitting internal combustion engines.

“We are expecting hydrogen to play a significant role in high-temperature industrial heat, in refining, as chemical feedstock, and in distilleries. We also think that a significant

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

“People often observe that the gas interconnection is between Ireland and the UK, but to be more specific, it is between Ireland and Scotland.”

As hydrogen is still a new and emerging sector with low levels of private sector confidence, an additional key strand of the Scottish Hydrogen Action Plan is establishing certainty for private investment.

Taking the initial investment steps, McNeil outlines how the Scottish Government is pump-priming investment with a longterm vision for attacting private investment: “There is an emerging energy technologies fund with £180 million of investment available up to the 2025/26 financial year. Of that, a £100 million capital programme is available for hydrogen projects.”

Celtic collaboration Providing an overview of the ongoing ScotWind developments, McNeil states: “We are already having conversations with [Ireland’s] Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications about how we share the learning about how we went through our offshore leases.

“By recognising the potential Scotland has and how we could use and develop it, we began to think about how we would develop aligning hydrogen policies, assessments, and action plans.”

Although the much anticipated hydrogen strategy will not be published until mid2023, McNeil expresses optimism for the prospects of hydrogen production in Ireland.

“Scotland and Ireland both have the potential to be major producers and exporters of hydrogen. We in the Scottish Government are here in Ireland to foster and encourage that and to say that we would like to talk to you about how we develop that collaboration, how we can

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proportion of the hydrogen produced in Scotland will be exported via pipeline to the rest of the UK and to Europe. We see the role that hydrogen could be playing in maritime and in the aviation industry, and in heavy goods transport as well.”

build those partnerships, and how we can help each other in supporting the development of that network.

“People often observe that the gas interconnection is between Ireland and the UK, but to be more specific, it is between Ireland and Scotland. We are keen to determine how we can connect Ireland’s east coast into Scotland’s hydrogen backbone, and how can we help Ireland create a bridge into the northern European market.”

Lessons learned Overall, McNeil identifies four broad lessons which emerged during Scotland’s hydrogen journey. They are: 1. the importance of location; 2. the importance of pace; 3. the importance of whole systems thinking; and 4. the importance of studying demonstration projects which can help give us the confidence to develop at scale.

Demonstration projects in Scotland have been particularly prevalent in Aberdeen, which she describes as “the world’s most advanced hydrogen city”.

“There are two publicly available hydrogen refuelling stations in Aberdeen and there are 65 hydrogen vehicles on the streets, including 25 buses. The city is primed for more developments as an energy transition zone, and there are other ambitious projects which are demonstrating offshore hydrogen production.

“Scotland’s decarbonisation must continue to move at an unprecedented pace that spans our whole economy, allied with energy demand reduction. In green hydrogen, we have a huge opportunity; one that we know is shared with Ireland.”

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dCarbonX: Developing Ireland’s energy storage capability

dCarbonX is an asset focused geo-energy private company established in 2020 to develop underground assets for clean molecular energy storage and the sequestration of CO2.

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The transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy requires new fit for purpose energy infrastructure and the development and adoption of innovative new technology and solutions. To address the natural lack of consistency and resilience in wholly renewable energy systems, molecular energy storage of natural gas today and hydrogen in the future is required to address intermittent renewable power. On stormy days, natural surges of wind power must be curtailed due to lack of grid capacity, whilst on calm days with little to no wind, a heavy dependence is put on back-up fossil fuel power generation.

and renewably produced hydrogen provides balancing energy storage capacity to effectively manage and smooth out intermittency. dCarbonX has two main focus areas: •

Underground energy storage: dCarbonX has an exclusive JV partnership with ESB, Ireland’s leading integrated utility, to develop three largescale offshore underground energy storage facilities adjacent to the country’s strategic electrical infrastructure hubs at Dublin, Cork, and Shannon. dCarbonX additionally has technological solutions for underground energy storage at the small to medium scale for managing more local needs.

•

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide: dCarbonX is working with industrial partners including US multinational Pentair on carbon capture and sequestration opportunities in Ireland and the UK. Pentair’s subsidiary Haffmans B.V., a world leader in biogas upgrading and CO2 recovery systems, will utilise its carbon capture technology to focus on the extraction, recovery, and purification of CO2 from Irish and UK assets, while dCarbonX originates and will develop offshore subsurface sequestration sites.

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Fundamentally, intermittent wind destabilises power grids without appropriate energy management. Due to infrastructure limitations around grid flexibility and existing forms of energy storage (such as pumped hydro and/or short-life battery storage), energy systems struggle to balance the grid.

Large-scale molecular storage of natural gas

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Based in London and Dublin, dCarbonX has Snam as its leading corporate shareholder.

Snam is Europe’s largest natural gas storage and distribution company. Acknowledged as a best-in-class operator in Europe, Snam holds the largest natural gas transportation network (over 41,000km including international assets), has an unmatched gas storage capacity (approximately 20 BCM including international assets) and has major re-gasification operations as Italy’s leading LNG operator. Snam is also a leader in hydrogen storage and transportation developments.

E: info@dcarbonx.com W: www.dcarbonx.com

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Credit: AlstomSA/Planimonteur – François Susset / Coradia iLint™

Green propulsion: The rail alternative to fight global warming

The situation is clear; the world is experiencing a climate emergency where reducing greenhouse gas emissions is critical to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement targets.

The rail industry has a key role to play in this transition.

Providing alternative solutions to fossil fuels and further developing the ecological performance of railway systems is a key part of Alstom’s mission.

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Indeed, the Dublin Metropolitan Area requires the bus and commuter rail fleet to be 100 per cent electric and zeroemission by 2035. Furthermore the transport sector must meet its sectoral emissions ceiling and contribute to the delivery of a 51 per cent cut in economy wide emissions by 2030. We also need to remember that we should first “avoid” spending energy, so energy efficiency will be key. It is not only about decarbonisation, it is also about reducing our energy consumption which is a very scarce resource and thus expensive.

Alstom leadership in the hydrogen train market The UK and Ireland’s leading train manufacturer and maintenance provider,

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Alstom has been the first company worldwide in 2016 to introduce a new regional train based on hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. Alstom has the ambitious goal of using this technology to replace a large part of the current market for diesel trains in Europe.

Hydrogen as the energy source of the future Electrification, hydrogen and battery technologies and solutions will play an important role in our global vision of the future. Alstom’s aim is to position these technologies as strategic factors in the energy transition, as we are convinced that they will bring about the change in road and rail transport – towards a clean and ultimately emission-free energy

system. Different non-competing options exist depending on the usage case: full electrification (high capital cost but high efficiency), hydrogen (high autonomy but lower efficiency), batteries (low autonomy but high efficiency) and partial electrification. All these need to be considered in the round. Indeed Irish Rail have already ordered 31 battery trains that can run on non-electrified lines.

Alstom offers multiple solutions of green mobility solutions for non-electrified networks: Bi-mode (diesel and catenary), battery (BEMU – battery electric multiple units ) and hydrogen (FCMU – fuel cell multiple units). For example in Ireland Alstom will provide the most sustainable fleet of trains in Irish transport history.

The company has signed a ten-year framework agreement with Iarnród Éireann/Irish Rail (IE) for up to 750 new X’trapolis commuter rail cars for Ireland’s DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) network.

Commenting at the signing ceremony, Alstom Managing Director, UK and Ireland, Nick Crossfield said “Alstom is delighted to have been selected to deliver the new DART+ fleet. Ireland is a very important market to us, and the new electric and battery-electric X’trapolis fleet is a big step for making rail even more sustainable while transforming the passenger experience in the Greater Dublin area and beyond, This order reinforces Alstom’s position as the world’s leading innovator and supplier of green mobility technologies.”

Battery technology is particularly well suited to extend or fill gaps on routes that are electrified with overhead catenary, as is the case with DART+. On longer and less intensely trafficked routes, using hydrogen fuel cells provides a viable, zero emission, and cost-effective alternative to the capital costs of electrification.

It was at InnoTrans 2016 in Berlin that Alstom presented the Coradia iLint™ for the first time. The launch of the CO2-

Credit: SA 2021 - Tommy Hvitfeldt / Coradia iLint™

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“On longer and less intensely trafficked routes, using hydrogen fuel cells provides a viable, zero emission, and cost-effective alternative to the capital costs of electrification.” emission-free regional train positioned Alstom as the first railway manufacturer in the world to develop a passenger train based on hydrogen technology. Just two years later, in 2018, the iLint™ entered into commercial service in Germany.

Specifically designed for non-or partially electrified lines, the Coradia iLint™ enables clean, sustainable train operation while ensuring high levels of performance. It can cover ranges up to 1,000 kilometres, and in September 2022 set a new record of 1,174km. For a range below 100km, battery trains are more appropriate, and Alstom now has both solutions in its portfolio.

The hydrogen fuel cell produces electrical power for traction. The fuel cell supplies electrical energy by combining hydrogen, which is stored in tanks on board, and oxygen from the outside air.

Hydrogen trains are 100 per cent CO2 emission-free and the only exhaust is water. The generated heat is used for air conditioning.

H2 trains are already a commercial reality for Alstom: Alstom has signed four contracts for hydrogen fuel cell powered trains. The first one was for 14 trains in the German region of Lower Saxony in 2017. The second one, also in Germany, for 27 trains to the Frankfurt metropolitan area. In 2020, we sold six trains with an option for eight to FNM in Italy and in 2021, SNCF Voyageurs has placed an order with Alstom for the first 12 dual mode electric-hydrogen trains (plus two optional trainsets) in the Coradia Polyvalent range for Régiolis.

since 46 per cent of the network in Europe is not electrified and sometimes overhead line electrification represents a too significant investment for customers, especially for low density lines. Until now, diesel trains were used for those non electrified lines.

Alstom acknowledges its responsibilities to further decarbonise mobility and meet the acceleration of sustainability and green mobility need all over the world. We are the only rail player that today offers the entire scope of green traction solutions, and our regional train powered by hydrogen fuel cells is now in successful passenger operation on a daily basis.

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The Coradia iLint™ is the world’s first passenger train powered by a hydrogen fuel cell which produces electrical power for traction. It is unique for its combination of different innovative elements: clean energy conversion, flexible energy storage in batteries, and smart management of traction power and available energy.

How does a fuel cell work?

T: 01 461 4922 E: kathryn.lancaster@alstomgroup.com W: www.alstom.com

Still, electric trains are not always a fit

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Plans to double hydrogen valleys by 2030 Ireland’s first hydrogen valley will be located off the coast of County Galway.

In March 2023, the European Commission signed a joint declaration with European stakeholders to boost the EU hydrogen economy, aimed at enhancing the use of hydrogen valleys and helping reach hydrogen production targets in REPowerEU. Hydrogen Central defines a hydrogen valley as “a project usually funded by local, national and international funds, that clusters several industrial and research initiatives to carry out pilot projects across the complete hydrogen value chain (production, transport, distribution, and end use with storage sometimes in the mix)”.

Through the signing of this joint declaration, the European Commission, the wider hydrogen industry, scientific community, and other European regions have committed to accelerate joint actions in research, development, demonstration, and deployment of hydrogen valleys, in line with the objectives outlines in the EU Hydrogen Strategy, forming a central role in the REPowerEU plan.

There are currently at least 37 hydrogen valleys globally, spread throughout five continents and 19 countries; 25 of them are in Europe, with two situated in Britain. The Benelux Union countries have been particularly strong, facilitating the deployment of four hydrogen valleys, whilst Germany has already built five hydrogen valleys, and the German Government has plans to build more.

It is hoped that the further support for these valleys will connect hydrogen production, transportation, and a range of cutting-edge applications from clean mobility to industrial feedstock, creating fully functional and sustainable

Under REPowerEU, EU member states are obliged to play their role in ensuring that the number of hydrogen valleys doubles by 2030.

Globally, it is estimated that only 15 per cent of hydrogen valleys are finished being constructed, although many of the 85 per cent which are still being built are operational to varying degrees. The Commission has allocated €200 million to accelerate the rollout of hydrogen valleys.

In 2022, it was announced that plans are underway to build Ireland’s first hydrogen valley off the coast of Galway, with the project being touted as a demonstrator project ahead of the publication of the Government’s hydrogen strategy later in 2023.

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clusters of supply and demand, advancing renewable hydrogen deployment, and subsequently driving forward the clean energy transition.

Ireland is already seen as a leader in the production of wind energy, with an ambitious offshore generation potential placing it in a promising position for the expansion in the use of green hydrogen. Hydrogen experts, such as University of Galway professor Rory Monaghan have stated that Ireland “must develop the technology at home” if it is to meet its potential in hydrogen production.

Indaver is ready to contribute to a new hydrogen economy

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Hydrogen produced from indigenous resources, such as waste, also offers an opportunity for energy independence and security, which have become critical due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With planning permission for a 10MW hydrogen electrolyser, Indaver is getting ready to enter the hydrogen market.

Hydrogen can decarbonise hard-toabate sectors and improve security of supply by being a vector for energy storage. There are a range of potential end uses for this hydrogen; injection into the gas grid, use as a fuel for planes, trains, and automobiles, as well as the power and industrial sector. Like any new market, the right signals are critical to kick start it.

The EU is driving forward the energy transition to become climate neutral by

2050 and green hydrogen is an important part of this. The European Green Deal, REPowerEU, and recently published acts supplementing the Renewable Energy Directive all feature hydrogen, outlining targets and support for member states to implement.

Until now, the development of Irish hydrogen policy has focused on Climate Action Plan targets, developing supports such as the Biofuel Obligation Scheme and the Shared Island Initiative. Like other jurisdictions, Ireland must develop an overarching national strategy and other policy mechanisms to develop a hydrogen economy. A consultation process on a national hydrogen strategy took place during 2022. This provided an indication of the Irish Government’s trajectory and it would appear that policymakers are open-minded.

Indaver is committed to investing in the necessary infrastructure to contribute to Ireland’s hydrogen economy. However, the right policy mechanisms must be in place in order to realise this potential.

The eagerly anticipated national hydrogen strategy must balance clear targets, for both the long- and shortterm future of this fuel, with tangible government support to make them a reality.

T: 01 697 2900 E: info@indaver.com W: www.indaver.com

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The recovery of black-bin waste that cannot be reused or recycled to produce energy in the form of electricity is not a new concept. What is new is the contribution waste-to-energy can make to a transition to a hydrogen economy and the decarbonisation of the energy system.

Resilient policy will be essential in working towards Ireland’s 2GW target of renewable hydrogen and greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 51 per cent by 2030.

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Green hydrogen will play a key role in Ireland’s energy transition hydrogen report

amounts of greenhouse gases are emitted when electricity is produced using fossil fuels. As a sustainable alternative, green hydrogen, a carbonfree gas produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity, could be used to great effect during those periods of low renewable energy supply.

Grid stability

As one of Ireland’s leading climate solutions companies, Bord na Móna believes that green hydrogen, a zerocarbon gas, will act as a key vector in our national transition to support the full decarbonisation of our energy system, writes Paul Schütze, Senior Project Development Manager at Bord na Móna. renewables on the electricity grid. Green hydrogen can play a key role in combating those challenges.

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Dunkelflaute events

Paul Schütze, Senior Project Development Manager at Bord na Móna.

Ireland’s decarbonisation strategy, with its ambitious target of having 80 per cent of electricity coming from renewable energy sources by 2030, relies primarily on electrifying end uses where possible.

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In times of low wind speeds and low levels of sunlight, often referred to by the German word “dunkelflaute”, Irish demand may exceed renewable electricity supply. Battery system storage solutions can provide short- and medium-term solutions to this and bridge the energy supply gap over short periods of time. For a secure and robust energy system with a high proportion of renewable generation there is a need for energy storage that can span a number of months and support inter-seasonal supply. Fossil fuels such as natural gas and distillate fuel oil are currently used in those type of scenarios. However, large

The intermittency of renewables presents a challenge to the electricity grid in regard to grid stability. There currently is a requirement to have a number of thermal generation plants on the system to maintain frequency and grid stability. Those thermal plants predominantly run on fossil fuels.

Replacing this fossil fuel requirement with green hydrogen, as well as adding synchronous condensers (devices that take a small amount of power from the grid to operate a motor and flywheel which stabilise the grid at times of high renewable generation) would decarbonise this element of the grid.

Abundance of renewable energy potential and levels of curtailment In its Wind Energy Roadmap, the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) states that Ireland can achieve a deployment of 30GW of offshore wind generation by 2050. To put this figure into perspective, Ireland’s forecasted electricity demand for 2030 is estimated at approximately 7GW. In addition, Ireland has a substantial onshore wind resource, which needs to be further developed, as offshore wind is still in its early stages. Onshore wind will not only bridge the gap before offshore projects are in operation but also help to decentralise the renewable generation across the country. Bord na Móna has a track record of delivering a number of onshore wind projects and has demonstrated that onshore wind can be delivered significantly faster than offshore wind projects. The 2023 Climate Action Plan sets out targets of 9GW of

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onshore wind, 8GW of solar and 7GW of offshore (2GW of which is to be dedicated to green hydrogen production). With Ireland’s forecasted electricity demand of 7GW in 2030 in mind, and with electricity interconnection to mainland Europe remaining limited the question is how can the country exploit this excess renewable energy resource? In addition, levels of curtailment (times when our renewable electricity supply exceeds demand) will increase as more generators connect to the grid. This excess electricity, that would otherwise be wasted, could be used to produce green hydrogen.

Energy security Given the geopolitical situation over the course of the last year, the EU’s focus has shifted towards energy security.

Being dependent on non-EU countries for fossil fuel supply has emerged as a key weakness for Europe and represents a significant challenge for various European industries. The production of green hydrogen as a form of green fuel will enable Europe to be less dependent on external fossil fuel imports and, ultimately, help support price stability for consumers.

Domestic impact of emerging industry Green hydrogen production also presents Ireland with an opportunity to become part of the supply chain of this emerging industry. Numerous local jobs will be created and communities will benefit from these developments. An emerging industry also spurs innovation and growth, allowing people to develop new ideas and diversify the local economy.

Bord na Móna’s Energy Park Concept

The role of hydrogen value-added products In order to reach net zero by 2050 we will have to replace as much fossil fuel consumption as possible. Green hydrogen, combined with biogenic carbon dioxide, can be used to produce renewable fuels called e-fuels such as green ammonia and fertiliser, e-methanol or sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

Those e-fuels will, ultimately, help to decarbonise parts of the agricultural and mobility sectors that cannot be electrified.

Bord na Móna’s green hydrogen strategy The challenge that this industry is facing currently is the timescale. In order to achieve the targets set by the EU, largescale hydrogen production is required as quickly as possible. However, Bord na Móna believes that it is crucial to demonstrate progressive development in the sector and as a result we are following a three-stage approach.

In Phase 1, Bord na Móna will develop a 2MW green hydrogen project at our existing Mount Lucas windfarm in County Offaly. Planning consent for this project is expected at the end of Q1 this year. If the project can be delivered in the timelines currently set out, it will be the first green hydrogen production facility in the Republic of Ireland. This

project will enable us to build knowledge and expertise on green hydrogen production and stimulate demand for the renewable gas.

In Phase 2 of our hydrogen strategy, we intend to develop medium-sized green hydrogen projects on our existing landbank. The green gas may be injected into the gas grid to decarbonise thermal generation plants, decarbonise other sectors of industry (such as cement factories local to the hydrogen production), or used for the production of hydrogen value-added products as described above.

Phase 3 of our hydrogen strategy includes large-scale, green hydrogen production both on our existing landbank as well as from offshore wind energy.

Ireland’s leading role We believe Ireland has a major role to play in this emerging industry. Time is of the essence with projects urgently required to stimulate demand allowing project developers like Bord na Móna to upscale their projects even further. With the opportunity to reach energy independence for the country in mind, positive change is on the horizon if we fully embrace renewable energy solutions like green hydrogen as a nation.

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Bord na Móna’s landholding of 80,000 hectares allows us to develop a large portfolio of renewable energy projects including onshore and offshore wind, solar, flexible generation, and green hydrogen projects. The Bord na Móna Energy Park concept was developed to harness this strategic advantage, where supply (wind and solar) is co-located with demand. Green hydrogen production also plays a significant role in the energy parks, as the clean renewable gas can be utilised for a variety of applications: to fuel the onsite back-up generation of the customer demand; to decarbonise local cement

production or other industries; to fuel the mobility sector; or to produce ‘hydrogen value-added products’.

For more information visit: W: www.bordnamona.com

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A new approach for green gases

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The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) has proposed a dual gas system modelling approach considering hydrogen and methane networks simultaneously, following contrasted scenarios reflecting the European climate and energy ambitions.

The proposal, entitled the Ten-Year Network Development Plan 2022 (TYNDP), aims to accelerate the rollout of green gases and aid EU member states to reach their net zero obligations. The draft development plan is currently open for consultations from European stakeholders until 19 May 2023.

When the consultations process is complete, ENTSOG aims to utilise the TYNDP to develop a new standard for hydrogen and natural gas by collecting dedicated hydrogen projects submitted to TYNDP and the first projects of common interest (PCI) selection process and by introduction of hydrogen infrastructure levels for the system assessments. The draft TYNDP also includes import and production capacities of renewable and decarbonised gases, including hydrogen, as well as demand for hydrogen.

Hydrogen infrastructure level 2 is defined as a policy-based infrastructure, composed of hydrogen infrastructure level 1 and additional infrastructure assumptions that were developed by ENTSOG together with the transmission system operators (TSOs) to enable policy objectives, such as the 2030 hydrogen imports targets defined by the REPowerEU plan.

As a response to the disruption to the importation of Russian gas amid the war in Ukraine, ENTSOG has amended the TYNDP COP 21 scenarios – distributed energy and global ambition – for the year 2030 according to the REPowerEU

plan and to address its objectives of 10Mt domestic green hydrogen production and 10Mt hydrogen import.

The results of this TYNDP for PCI/PMI candidate projects should be complemented by the latest energy strategies of the member states, for further and complete analyses.

Upon announcement of the proposal, Piotr Kuś, ENTSOG General Director, said: “The hydrogen and natural gas TYNDP 2022, a first of its kind, evaluates the benefit of relevant decarbonised gas projects and shows that the gas system is a resilient, efficient and cost-effective infrastructure. The extensive stakeholder engagement and holistic modelling processes have meant that inter-connectivity between methane, biomethane, hydrogen and electricity infrastructures are well captured, starting from the scenarios, through to the system and infrastructure assessments.”

Credit: ENTSOG

The TYNDP outlines two prospective hydrogen infrastructure levels to be

considered. Hydrogen Infrastructure level 1 is a project-based infrastructure level, composed of all hydrogen projects submitted by project promoters to the TYNDP 2022 (including infrastructure that was submitted as hydrogen-ready) as well as hydrogen projects submitted by project promoters to the first PCI selection process under the revised TEN-E Regulation.

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Green hydrogen: Ireland’s new energy carrier Green hydrogen is a promising energy carrier that has the potential to play a crucial role in achieving net-zero emissions, writes Paul McCormack, Director of Hydrogen Ireland.

Hydrogen can be produced from various sources such as water, natural gas, biomass, or even waste, and when burned or reacted with oxygen, it produces only water and heat, making it a zero-emission fuel. However, green hydrogen produced from renewables is the cleanest form of hydrogen and has zero CO2 production footprint.

However, globally the production of hydrogen is currently dominated by fossil fuels, which generates emissions, including greenhouse gases. Therefore, it is essential to develop clean hydrogen production technologies such as electrolysis powered by Ireland's abundant renewable energy sources like solar or wind power. This will allow hydrogen to be produced in a way that is environmentally friendly and costeffective. (A recent report mentioned the

To overcome these challenges mentioned, green hydrogen requires significant investment in research, development, and deployed infrastructure now, so it can play an effective part to decarbonise hard-todecarbonise sectors at scale in the near future.

Overall, green hydrogen represents a balanced pathway to achieving net-zero emissions, working in tandem with other energy carriers, providing a clean and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels

Green hydrogen is a promising pathway advocated by Hydrogen Ireland with the potential to not only contribute to but accelerate Ireland’s journey to net-zero emissions using Ireland's abundant renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. However, the widespread adoption of green hydrogen faces several challenges, including long lead times for electrolysis units, lack of regulation to integrate with renewables, and is hampered by the slow progress of policy development as well as a limited financial support from government to build infrastructure to support green hydrogen's ability to remove fossil fuels from our energy system.

while supporting the transition to a lowcarbon economy.

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One of the key benefits of green hydrogen is its versatility. Green hydrogen has the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, including transportation, power generation, and industrial processes. For instance, in the transport sector, hydrogen can be used to power fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), while in industry, it can replace fossil fuels in high-temperature processes.

potential for Ireland to be one of the cheapest locations to produce hydrogen in Europe!) It is also important to ensure that the transportation and distribution of hydrogen are done safely and efficiently.

This includes developing appropriate infrastructure such as pipelines and storage facilities as well as training for our industry to gain the experience to work with, store, transport, and use hydrogen easily and safely, making it a viable option for areas where renewable energy sources are not readily available.

E: paul.mccormack@hydrogenireland.org W: www.hydrogenireland.org

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Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

Local authority HGV roadmaps among Shared Island projects A feasibility study for local authorities to develop zero-carbon heavy goods vehicles (HGV) roadmaps on a cross-border basis is among the projects receiving Shared Island funding, with green hydrogen specifically earmarked as an enabler for the energy transition.

In September 2022, 25 cross-border projects were named as having been awarded funding by then-Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD under the Shared Island Local Authority Development Funding Scheme, which is funded by the Department of the Taoiseach’s Shared Island Fund with an onus on cross-border co-operation among local authorities.

Among these awards was the funding of €150,000 delivered to fund the feasibility study into the future of zero-carbon HGVs. Led by Monaghan County Council in partnership with Louth County Council; Newry, Mourne and Down District Council; Ards and North Down Borough Council; Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; and the East Border Region group, the study will query zero-carbon roadmaps for HGVs, seeking to identify opportunities and conditions for clean energy transition. Green hydrogen is specifically mentioned as being to the fore in this transition, being the only fuel source specifically mentioned in the Government’s description of the project.

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The project will seek to map out three phases for sustainable energy use in the HGV fleets of local authorities: planning, where renewable refuelling routes will be identified; development, where HGVs will be trialled and tested; and development, where the HGV routes developed will be expanded.

Notable in this funding award is the mention of green hydrogen without any mention of electric HGVs, with the two fuel sources thought to be the two most likely to decarbonise HGVs in the future.

Such decarbonisation is crucial within all transport, but for HGVs especially due to their weight, typical distance travelled, and reliance on diesel over petrol meaning that the vehicles have higher polluting profiles than the average vehicle.

Given that any electric HGV would require a battery of substantial size that would limit its freight capacity, this is perhaps an indication of future policy in this area.

Hydrogen’s main advantage over electricity in this regard is its flexibility and compatibility with existing infrastructure.

Hydrogen HGVs can refuel as quickly as their diesel equivalents in a manner that is

virtually identical and operate at distances that range from similar to better, although the production of green hydrogen is more energy intensive than electricity.

The project will join a growing cohort of similar projects globally as states attempt to get to grips with the emissions of HGVs, a small proportion of road vehicles that accounts for 26 per cent of global road transport emissions; this stat is even more acute in Ireland, where HGVs account for 4 per cent of road vehicles and 30 per cent of transport emissions.

The Scottish hydrogen firm HVS was awarded £30 million in joint UK Government and industry funding as it continues to build a hydrogen fuel cell to be used in HGVs, with a 5.5-tonne demonstrator model for its hydrogen commercial vehicle having been unveiled in November 2022. Such HGVs are projected as having the capability to cover over 500km depending on variables such as road conditions and driving style.

Accelerating the hydrogen economy through digital technology

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German-Irish cooperation: Hydrogen export potential An agreement has been reached that could see Ireland emerge as a major exporter of green hydrogen to Germany.

The joint Declaration of Intent on cooperation in research in the context of green hydrogen was signed by Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan TD, and Germany’s Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research, Mario Brandenburg.

Generation and utilisation of green hydrogen in Ireland are still in its infancy but Ireland’s potential as an exporter of green hydrogen in the future has long been recognised, given its level of wind reserves.

A forthcoming hydrogen strategy for Ireland is expected to recognise a post-2030 role for green hydrogen in decarbonising Ireland’s energy system, however, a number of significant green hydrogen projects are already in planning.

In Ireland, green hydrogen will initially be targeted at reducing emissions in hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as heavy transport and industry, however, in the long term, green hydrogen is a viable alternative to replacing natural gas within the gas grid.

Given Ireland’s significant levels of wind energy generation, including ambitious offshore targets, it is projected that Ireland will not only reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels, but export its surplus green energy, including hydrogen.

In contrast to Ireland, where a hydrogen economy will need to be built from the base up, including sourcing off-takers, building supply chains, and developing market mechanisms, Germany has a ready-made hydrogen industry, set for transition.

Germany’s ambitious National Hydrogen Strategy targets up to 5GW by 2030, only about one-seventh of the projected German hydrogen demand. The projected gap between production and demand underlines Germany’s plan to import hydrogen.

The cooperation agreement between Ireland and Germany is set in the context of the EU’s hydrogen strategy which aims to scale up the deployment of renewable hydrogen. The ambition is to produce 10 million tonnes and import 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen in the EU by 2030.

In 2022, the German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce formed the German-Irish Hydrogen Council, comprising representatives of the new and emerging hydrogen industry in Ireland.

In April 2023, the chamber announced “a pioneering cooperation between Germany and Ireland in the field of green hydrogen”, which it says will “pave the way to important new projects on a big scale in the renewable energy sector and beyond for Germany and Ireland”.

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Solidarity with Palestine must come with action Green Party MEP Grace O'Sullivan at a mural of the late Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on the Palestinian side of the Israeli separation wall, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.

As the far-right surges to power in Israel and accelerates annexations of Palestinian land, Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan calls for civil action against what she calls growing Israeli apartheid. The MEP for the Ireland South constituency travelled to Palestine in February 2023 on a mission with the European Parliament.

For a country that describes itself as “the only democracy in the Middle East”, Israel is not a particular fan of elected representatives. Two members of the European Parliament had been banned from entering Tel Aviv before an official delegation mission to the country had even begun, when we travelled to Palestine in February 2023. The year before, in 2022, an entire delegation had been banned from travelling to Gaza, a city of two million people living in what is often described as ‘the largest open-air prison in the world’.

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At the same time, the government of Israel was trying to push through draconian judicial reforms that sparked some of the largest protests of Israeli civil society in the history of the state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was attempting to seize political control of the same courts that had hounded him for allegedly siphoning public money into his own pockets for years. In order to get the political clout to carry this out, he had allied with the far-right and had agreed to establish a new militia under the complete control of the far-right Minister for

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So far, in my time as an MEP, the European Union and its member states have proven themselves entirely unable to act against Israel’s breaches of international law. Condemnations of human rights abuses in the Occupied Territories are accompanied by increased EU investment in the Israeli economy.

Following the murder of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a year ago almost to the day, EU leaders were quick to accept the Israeli military’s excuses.

Grace O'Sullivan MEP with Palestinian activist, Issa Amro, in Hebron, Palestine.

Justice, Yariv Levin. The Israeli claim to ‘democracy’, already tenuous at best, was fraying at the edges.

At the time, I was travelling with a group of MEPs from the European Parliament’s Delegation to Palestine on a mission to meet with civil society groups, NGOs, and government figures in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank. On the way to Bethlehem, the taxi driver arriving at the military checkpoint into the West Bank recalled travelling, in his childhood, to visit the birthplace of Jesus, something that he could not do now with his own children due to the nine-metre tall concrete separation wall that now dominates the landscape.

Under the current circumstances, civilians, civil society groups. and activists in the occupied West Bank are in more danger than ever before, as the government in Tel Aviv was openly calling for the annexation of Palestinian territories and the expansion of illegal settlements there. Eight respected organisations had been declared ‘terrorist groups’ and had their offices raided and doors literally welded shut. One of those organisations helped children imprisoned by the Israeli military courts. Another

worked on employment for Palestinian women.

Civil servants in Palestine are caught between two broken and oppressive systems. The Israeli military and secret services keep a close eye on every Palestinian involved in government as a potential threat. Public services in the Occupied Territories are limited at best and are constantly being undermined by Israeli settlements, supported by the military. As hospitals crumble and infrastructure is constantly sabotaged by settlers, Israeli politicians use this image as ‘proof’ that Palestinians cannot be trusted to run a modern state. It is a cycle that has only deteriorated in recent years, exacerbating the apartheid approach that sees two separate systems for two peoples in one land.

Israel itself is turning a chilling corner.

Once happy to keep Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza down, Israeli politics is now turning on Israelis who do not fit the national-conservative narrative.

The new far-right government has put in power religious extremist ministers, who have women and the LGBT+ community in their sights.

Ireland is one of the few countries in the EU which still stands up for the Palestinian cause of statehood in international fora. When it comes to action however, our response has been lacklustre. Our discourse has remained the same as 20 years ago when there was more hope for a realistic two-state solution. Now as Israel builds its own apartheid regime, Ireland must lead the way in showing its fellow EU member states that they must stand up for the rule of law at home and abroad.

There is an urgent need for unilateral action by international actors in order to show that a response is possible. One of the concrete ways of doing that is for Ireland to put the Occupied Territories Bill, tabled by Senator Frances Black but blocked by one government party, back on the table. I believe the legislation is now even more relevant than when I cosponsored it with a group of senators in 2018.

I have also called on the European Commission to cut funding to Israel for its destruction of Palestinian schools and institutions often built with EU funding in the first place. It has shown no willingness to respond. In the face of inaction, Ireland should be the first to turn the tide on apartheid.

Finally, civil society has a role to play in holding Israel to account. One of the primary means for bringing down apartheid in South Africa was economic pressure. Unions and workers played a significant role in shining the light on that regime’s human rights abuses. Who can forget the courageous role of Mary Manning and the Dunnes Stores workers in their boycott of South African goods?

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Credit: European Union, 2023.

Fiscal rules set for reform cent debt-to-GDP target reduce by an average of one-twentieth. Additionally, the medium-term objective (MTO), which sets out the minimum requirement for the budget balance, is being removed.

Importantly, the expenditure benchmark is also being discarded and will be replaced by a net expenditure rule.

A detailed note to TDs, prepared by Ireland’s Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) on the EU Economic Governance Framework, notes that rules allowing member states more time to reduce debt burdens will depend on the fiscal adjustment path finally agreed.

(L-R) Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of an Economy that works for People and Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy, at a press conference on the review of EU economic governance and launch of debate on its future.

If the new economic governance framework is to be in place by the 2024 budget process, an agreement would have to be reached before the budget submission date of 15 October 2022.

The European Commission is proposing a simplification of current fiscal rules and greater fiscal flexibility for member states, as it sets a path toward a reformed EU economic governance framework.

Although in suspension, Ireland complies with the fiscal rules. However, the PBO highlights that this is “partly due to surging tax receipts from corporation tax resulting in a budget surplus and a large, foreign-owned multinational sector which greatly impacts Irish GDP”.

On 9 November 2022, the European Commission adopted the communication Building an economic governance framework fit for the challenges ahead in response to a public consultation on the fiscal rules with member states.

The European Union’s strict fiscal rules for member states, set out under the Stability and Growth Pact, which require member states to maintain a budget deficit of less than 3 per cent of GDP and a government debt-to-GDP ratio of less than 60 per cent, have been suspended since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

The European Commission notes that the suspension of the fiscal rules allowed for fiscal stimulus, aiding member states during the pandemic, and believes that a reformed framework will help build a “green, digital and resilient economy of the future”.

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“The orientations seek to ensure that the framework is simpler, more transparent and effective, with greater national ownership and better enforcement, while allowing for reform and investment and reducing high public debt ratios in a realistic, gradual and sustained manner,” the Commission states.

Under the new proposals, the broad fiscal targets will remain the same, however, the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council noted a slightly less onerous approach to fiscal rules in the new proposals. “The Commission’s proposals represent some shift away from a rules-based framework and could represent a relaxation of the existing fiscal rules depending on what fiscal paths are agreed,” it states.

The proposed major changes include the removal of the 1/20 rule, which requires that the difference between a government’s debt level and the 60 per

Emphasising that the structural balance has long been a problematic indicator for Ireland, the analysis suggests that removing the need to calculate it should make Ireland’s fiscal rules more straightforward to understand and comply with.

Under the proposals, member states need to set out net expenditure plans over four years and the submission of annual progress reports by member states is designed to improve surveillance by the European Commission and the European Council.

In its analysis, the PBO called for clarity on the expectations for a member state in advance of the return of the rules.

Highlighting a potential area of concern of the new rules, it points to the potential for disagreement between domestic macroeconomic and fiscal forecasts and those of the Commission.

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Green Deal Industrial Plan The European Commission has announced a new green subsidy industrial plan, in a bid to ensure that EU member states do not lose the business of green manufacturing companies to China and the United States.

The plan, named the the Green Deal Industrial Plan, proposes utilising around €250 billion from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund amid a backdrop of the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimating that the global market for massproduced clean energy will triple to around $650 billion a year by 2030, with related manufacturing jobs to more than double.

In China, Xi Jinping’s government has been providing green manufacturing companies with subsidies equalling in the region of €260 billion under its Five-Year Plan programme. In the United States, since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s government has announced that it will mobilise over $360 billion (€330 billion) by 2032.

Currently, the EU spends around €100 billion on net zero ecosystem startups which has produced more than 400GW of wind and solar renewable energy capacity in the EU in 2022, an increase of over 25 per cent compared to 2020.

However, the increase in subsidies in the United States, combined with the relative stability of a Congressional Act and vision

to 2032, has prompted concerns among senior EU representatives that companies could leave the continent in favour of the US. The document outlining the plan states: “The Commission will continue to make full use of trade defence instruments (TDI) to defend the single market, and rules-based international trade, from unfair trade practices like dumping and distortive subsidies.”

The EU has further stated that, in the coming months, the Commission will propose a Net-Zero Industry Act which will streamline permitting processes and

harmonise standards, as well as a new Critical Raw Materials Act to promote local extracting, processing, and recycling, designed to help wean the EU off reliance on China for the importation of rare earths and lithium, which will be vital materials for the green transition.

With China and Russia – from which the EU is rapidly reducing fossil fuel imports – having sought a more cooperative relationship with one another, the political context of the green subsidies plan cannot be ignored, and is designed to ensure that European countries have the resources to foster a strong green manufacturing sector as the industry grows worldwide.

Green Deal Industry Plan: Main measures •

€250 billion for the greening of industry, including offering tax breaks to businesses investing in net zero infrastructure

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European Sovereignty Fund to be used to ensure Europe has an edge on "critical and emerging technologies" such as microelectronics and artificial intelligence

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Proposed Net Zero Industry Act, which would speed up the issuance of permits for green projects, and the Critical Raw Materials Act

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Loosening of state aid rules that would allow member states to match the aid offered by a third country for initial investments into "targeted" sectors relevant to the net-zero transition

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Seanad Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer: ‘Enhancing parliamentary democracy’ Fresh from his widely acclaimed speech during US President Joe Biden’s address to the Oireachtas, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Jerry Buttimer sits down with Ciarán Galway to discuss diversity in the Seanad and enhancing parliamentary democracy.

Elected to replace predecessor and current LeasChathaoirleach, Fianna Fáil Seanadóír Mark Daly, as part of the agreed tri-party coalition government rotation in December 2022, Fine Gael’s Jerry Buttimer became the first openly gay Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann in its 100-year history, having defeated Seanadóir Victor Boyhan by 35 votes to eight, Discussing the symbolism of his election, the Cathaoirleach emphasises its significance “in the context of the evolving nature of our country”.

Referencing the Damascene journeys taken by many in relation to same-sex marriage, he adds: “I made this point in my speech to President Biden that on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, we moved away from violence and towards peace. Equally, I made my point that 25 years ago, we did not have marriage equality.

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“The intervention of President Biden was a transformative moment. It helped shape the opinions of other who went on a journey of change, and I would reference former Taoiseach Enda Kenny as a strong example of that.”

Diverse representation Elaborating on the theme of diversity and inclusivity within the Oireachtas, Buttimer asserts: “It is important that we continue to strive for the Oireachtas to be a diverse, representative, reflective body that is aligned with the society and community that we live in.

“We have a lot of work to do as a parliament, and as a body politic, in terms of encouraging people from diverse ethnic background to run. We have seen it in local elections. It would be great to see more inclusivity and diversity in our national parliament.”

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“As parliamentarians, we must continue to uphold and enhance parliamentary democracy Seanad Cathaoirleach Jerry Buttimer Simultaneously, the Cathaoirleach highlights the establishment of a parliamentary caucus of LGBT+ members, alongside the Irish Women's Parliamentary Caucus, and the advocacy of individual members such as Senator Eileen Flynn from the Traveller community, and Senator Martin Conway “who is visually impaired and does a huge amount of work in championing disability”.

Enhancing parliamentary democracy Against the backdrop of the establishment of the EU scrutiny committee – which began work in April 2023 – Buttimer is adamant that “the primacy of the Houses of the Oireachtas must always be upheld”.

“The primary focus for the Houses of the Oireachtas – particularly from a Seanad point of view – is that we must continue to enhance parliamentary democracy,” he asserts, elaborating: “It is an opportunity for members and for me as the chair to allow the voice of the people, who are represented by the elected members, to hold government to account, to scrutinise legislation.”

Allied to this, the Cathaoirleach indicates, is an opportunity to develop interparliamentary relationships. “Alongside the Ceann Comhairle, I am eager to continue developing the parliamentary friendship groups because it is through engagement – real, meaningful visits and meetings – that we can bring change to the world.

“When I was in Bahrain for the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, I was really struck that it was through sitting down with parliamentarians that you get a sense of what is happening in their world, and in exchange they get a sense of what is happening in our society. We can help formulate opinion changing, gathering of facts and information which are extremely beneficial to the work of parliamentarians, while also ensuring that we can represent

people and we can learn best practices from each other.”

Forum Discussing the virtues of the Seanad as a “forum to allow people from the wider stage to be part of our deliberations”, he signposts forthcoming addresses to the house by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, the European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union, Mairéad McGuinness MEP, and the incumbent Governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healey.

“If you look at what we are aiming to achieve in the context of parliamentary democracy, then it is important that our friendship groups work in tandem with us,” he says, adding: “When we see an active return to a Northern Ireland Assembly, MLAs will come to Leinster House and TDs and Senators will go to Stormont, work together to build relationships and create a stronger association. This must be nurtured, because it is important that we work with fellow parliamentarians on the island.”

Franchise Discussing the proposed widening of the Seanad franchise amid the March 2023 Supreme Court ruling in favour of University of Limerick student Tomás Heneghan – who contends that the 7th Amendment of the Constitution provided for the mandatory expansion of the franchise to other universities – the Cathaoirleach is reflective.

“I think there is a huge need to [widen the franchise]. I am open to debate, and I have not got a set opinion, but I do believe that it is important that the Seanad should be reflective of the society that we now live in.

“How we achieve that is a matter for government to look at and I am sure An Taoiseach and the ministers in the Government will look at the challenge of

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Seanad reform in the context of the recent Supreme Court judgement, but also in terms of how we can make it a more diverse and inclusive upper house, mindful of where it has come from and where it is going to in terms of our changed nature since its composition 100 years ago.”

Relevance Reflecting on the centenary of Seanad Éireann in December 2022 and looking to the next 100 years, continued relevance, Buttimer contends, hinges on “how we carry out its business, by our composition, and by the way through which we hold government to account”.

Suggesting that parliamentarians must demonstrate “that we do play an important role in Irish society”, he believes that the upper house has a “critical role in not just addressing the challenges of our changing world”, but also in engaging with and being the point of intersection between the electorate, government, and state bodies that impact of the daily lives of people.

Evolution Having sat in the Oireachtas for 16 consecutive years, including in the 23rd, 25th, and 26th seanaid, Buttimer observes that while “our work is consistently about people and representing them”, social media has

made “a profound change on how we do our work”.

Amid fractious political trends globally, the Cathaoirleach insists: “As parliamentarians, we must continue to uphold and enhance parliamentary democracy because the alternative – as President Biden reminded us in April – is autocracy, and that is not acceptable.

“We must continue to be that voice; we must allow ourselves the opportunity to work for people and, through the medium of our work, make the parliament more people-friendly, attracting more women, and more people of diversity and colour into elected office. We must also ensure that in our debates and our deliberations,

Profile: Jerry Buttimer In December 2022, Jerry Buttimer was elected as the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, having previously served as Leas Cathaoirleach in the 26th Seanad and Fine Gael leader in the 25th Seanad.

From 2011 until 2016, Buttimer had previously represented Cork South Central in Dáil Éireann, simultaneously serving as Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children. He was also a Senator from 2007 until 2011, and prior to that, was a member of Cork City Council from 2004 to 2007.

Buttimer is the founder of Fine Gael LGBT. Beyond representative politics, Buttimer is actively involved in the GAA, having served on its National Marketing Committee, and as chairman of the Bishopstown GAA Club in Cork city.

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we are respectful, mindful of who we are and where we are, but also – through our language and our actions – that we represent our people with integrity.”

Ambitions As well as continuing to “reach out to different organisations, build bridges in the North, and represent Ireland at home and abroad”, the Cathaoirleach is determined that Leinster House becomes “a symbol of the evolution of society” during his term.

As well as advocating for the establishment of a Leinster House commemoration of Fine Gael Senator Billy Fox, a victim of ‘the Troubles’ who was killed in 1974, Buttimer indicates that the Seanad intends to mark the centenary of WB Yeats becoming the first Irish recipient of Nobel Prize in November 1923.

Overall, the Cathaoirleach aims to enhance how the role of the Seanad is perceived, ensuring that it is “at the heart of what parliament is about”, including legislative scrutiny, public representation, government accountability, and “ensuring that the peace that we have developed continues and that we build relations with MLAs in the North but also across the water in England”.

“The other ambition is ensuring that the Houses of the Oireachtas are accessible to the people, and I am content that in my job and my role, I am continuing to do that,” he concludes.

Credit: Merrion Street

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Referendum to remove ‘outdated’ Constitution articles The Government, acting on the advice of a Citizens’ Assembly, will hold a referendum in November 2023 giving the electorate the option of removing the reference of a woman’s place being “in the home”.

Currently Article 41.2 of Bunreacht na hÉireann contains a recognition that “by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved” and that the State shall therefore “endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home”.

The Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality, which concluded its work in 2021, sent a list of 45 recommendations to the Government, including that the definition of family should not be limited to the marital family. It further suggests inserting a new clause into Article 40, which focuses on fundamental rights, to refer explicitly to gender equality and non-discrimination.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD has described the text of Article 41.2 as being “outmoded”, and said that it will more than likely be a central reform should the referendum be successful.

“For too long, women and girls have carried a disproportionate share of caring responsibilities, been discriminated against at home and in the workplace, objectified or lived in fear of domestic or gender-based violence,” the Taoiseach said.

He further stated: “I am pleased to announce that the Government plans to hold a referendum this November [2023] to amend our Constitution to enshrine gender equality and to remove the outmoded reference to 'women in the home', in line

with the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality.”

Varadkar further intimated that the precise wording of the referendum will be prepared “by early summer”, with a special working group to establish the exact terms.

He outlined his proposals for the new text to amend articles 40 and 41: “One that explicitly recognises the equality between men and women, enshrining that in our constitution.

“The second, removing the old fashioned language around women in the home, in favour of the recognition of carers and the role they play in society and family life and then thirdly, recognising there are many different types of families in Ireland.”

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Sláintecare and housing ‘red lines’ for new Social Democrats leader Cairns In March 2023, Holly Cairns TD became the first sole leader of the Social Democrats, with the Cork South West TD – now the youngest Oireachtas leader – hoping to be the kingmaker in the next Oireachtas term.

Cairns first became involved in politics during the campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment, before subsequently establishing a branch of the Social Democrats party in her Dáil constituency of Cork South West.

The Social Democrats was founded in 2015 by two then-independent TDs – Roisín Shortall TD and Stephen Donnelly TD – and Catherine Murphy TD, who had been elected for the Labour Party. The party achieved relative success in 2016, reelecting the aforementioned TDs, before surviving the defection of Donnelly, who became independent before joining Fianna Fáil. Subsequently, the party doubled its Dáil seats to six in 2020, the same as their rivals in the Labour Party.

Prior to Cairns’ election, the Social Democrats had maintained a co-leadership model with its founder TDs leading the party. However, upon their joint decision to

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resign in February 2023, Cairns was elected unopposed on 1 March 2023.

Now presiding over a party of six TDs, Cairns gained popularity in her initial month in the role, saying that she “has no interest” in a merger with the Labour Party, further quipping, “I would rather be in a party which has abandoned Stephen Donnelly than one which abandoned James Connolly”.

Her first speech highlighting the generational gap which exists in Ireland for homeownership proved popular, and propelled the party to a record 9 per cent in the polls in early March, as reported by Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent.

Although the Social Democrats would be seen as a natural potential centre-left ally of Sinn Féin, Cairns has not explicitly ruled out entering the Social Democrats into a future arrangement with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil.

Nonetheless, Cairns has previously told

eolas Magazine: “People are sick of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. They want a change and from just chatting to people, they do not necessarily want that change to be Sinn Féin.” On entering a future coalition, she has stated that housing and Sláintecare will be “red lines”.

The target for the Social Democrats will be to eclipse the Green Party as the fourth largest party, and see off competition from Labour and the Solidarity-People Before Profit coalition.

In the 2020 election, smaller left-wing parties were able to capitalise on Sinn Féin not fielding enough candidates to make the most of Sinn Féin’s then-unexpected surge.

However, as Sinn Féin will likely field a lot more candidates at the next election, there may be challenges for smaller parties in avoiding falling prey to the expected Sinn Féin surge.

Credit: Social Democrats.

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Labour’s renewed leftism The Labour Party was keen to move beyond its erstwhile association with Fine Gael in government, with party leader Ivana Bacik TD accusing the Fine Gael-Fianna Fáil-Green coalition of “failing the people of Ireland”, as she addressed Labour members at its 2023 party conference in Cork.

While just seven years ago the Labour Party headed into the election in 2016 defending 33 seats as the second largest party in the Dáil, now it is a shadow of its former self, boasting a modest total of seven TDs. A notable theme at the Labour conference was the return of the concept of the ‘socialist’ label among Labour delegates, with Bacik herself defining herself as a socialist and emphasising the origins of her party “founded by [James] Connolly”.

Breaking from the Labour Party’s recent trajectory, Bacik called for a “left-led green/red government”, articulating her belief that “the current conservative coalition is just not working; Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are perpetuating an unequal Ireland”.

Bacik focused much of her leader’s speech on housing, critiquing the Government’s “failure” and characterising the rising levels of homelessness as being “driven by ideology”. Calling for a “structural

revolution” the Labour leader outlined her party’s housing priorities if it were to return to government.

“Our ambition is for one million homes in 10 years, starting now. The State can – and we must – deliver 50,000 new builds and 50,000 refurbished homes a year for the next decade.”

Further breaking with traditional Labour leadership trends, Bacik adopted left populist rhetoric on housing, saying that if she were in charge: “The vulture funds and bankers would be told to back off.”

Bacik, however, will know that if this new, openly left Labour Party is to prosper at the polls, that it is unlikely that she will be shearing votes away from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. As such, she took the opportunity to condemn rival parties on the left, saying: “Too many other parties are full of promise but empty on policy. We know what they are against, but not what they are for. Offering no constructive solutions, it is dishonest. I prefer to tell the truth.”

Precisely one year on from her rise to the Labour leadership, Bacik emphasised the party’s record on women’s rights. “By having the courage to take on conservative Ireland, Labour has changed people’s lives for the better and women’s lives for the better. Now the Government has conceded our call to hold a referendum on gender equality this year, to finally jettison de Valera’s delusions about women.”

In spite of SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MP having ruled out a merger with Labour, Bacik took the opportunity to emphasise the warmth between the two parties and – further embarking on a new strategy – came out in favour of a unity referendum “not for the empty nationalist idea of a fourth green field for its own sake, but because we believe in building a consentbased movement for change through the citizens’ assembly model, in keeping with the core principles of the Good Friday Agreement”.

The Labour leader emphasised support for refugees entering Ireland, and also spoke in favour of a ban on the import of goods from the Occupied Territories of Palestine.

Exiting the stage to a rousing round of cheers and applause, the Labour Party showed itself to be in buoyant mood, and, in keeping with his recent change to its party logo, was keen to reinvigorate its leftwing roots. Time will tell, however, if Labour can take back the hundreds of thousands of voters who have abandoned the party since 2011.

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Joint Committee on Justice: 2023 work programme Published in January 2023, the Oireachtas’ Joint Committee on Justice’s work programme for 2023 sets out the work that the committee is currently engaged in and will undertake for the remainder of the year.

The Work Programme of the Joint Committee on Justice was agreed by the committee on 18 January 2023 and presented to both houses of the Oireachtas. Chief among the responsibilities on the committee’s work programme is the performance of prelegislative scrutiny. Under Standing Order 174A(1), the general scheme or draft heads of a bill are given to the committee by a member of the Government or Minister of State.

The Government’s Legislative Programme for Autumn 2022 identified three government bills relevant to the Department of Justice, and thus relevant to the committee.

The first bill listed on the programme was the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2022, for which the Joint Committee on Justice convened for pre-legislative scrutiny on 6

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December 2022, hearing submissions from the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, Michael Breen, Michael Healy, and Amy Healy of Mary Immaculate College, and officials from the Department of Justice. The committee issued its report on the pre-legislative scrutiny on 8 March 2023, issuing 25 recommendations including that a specific victim-centred identification process for child victims of trafficking be established, that the legislation should state more clearly the supports that will be offered to victims, and that an appeal mechanism should be provided under the legislation.

8 March 2023 also saw the publication of the committee’s report stemming from its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill 2022, which carried with it 21 recommendations. The committee formulated these

recommendations after having met on 17 October 2022, hearing submissions from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, the Irish Penal Reform Trust, Joe Garrihy of Maynooth University, the Mental Health Commission, the Prison Visiting Committee, officials from the Department of Justice, and the Office of the Inspector of Prisons. Among the committee’s recommendations were the immediate ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture, that the legislation provide more detail on how detainees’ voices will be heard during investigations, and that a separate and independent body should be tasked with deciding on the categorisation of a prisoner’s complaint, rather than the Irish Prison Service.

The third of the government bills mentioned within the work programme, the Sale of Alcohol Bill 2022, had its prelegislative scrutiny report published on 2

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Joint Committee on Justice

Members James Lawless TD (Fianna Fáil) (Cathaoirleach) Senator Barry Ward (Fine Gael)

March 2023. The publication of this report showed a much shorter turnaround time from the holding of the scrutiny, with the committee having performed said scrutiny on 24 January 2023. The committee heard from representatives of the Licensed Vintners Association, Give Us the Night, the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland, Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland, and officials from the Department of Justice in an effort to gauge views regarding the bill that will create one single piece of legislation to regulate the sale of alcohol. The committee’s report returned 27 recommendations, including the amendment of the bill’s title to better reflect the broader impact of the legislation, the creation of a new type of venue license for dance venues separate from the seven-day publican’s license, and that consideration be given to the introduction of a form of ‘dry license’ for venues that are open during the night-time hours but not serving alcohol, along with hybrid licenses for venues that serve alcohol at certain times but wish to remain open beyond those times.

(Leas-Chathaoirleach)

Five private members’ bills have also been referred to the committee:

Patrick Costello TD (Green Party)

1

Regulation of Private Security Firms Bill 2019;

2

Proceeds of Crime (Investment in Disadvantaged Communities) (Amendment) Bill 2021;

3

Civil Liability and Courts (Amendment) Bill 2021;

4

Firearms and Offensive Weapons (Amendment) Bill 2021; and

5

Coercion of a Minor (Misuse of Drugs Amendment) Bill 2022.

Alan Farrell TD (FG) Pa Daly TD (Sinn Féin) Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD (Labour) Martin Kenny TD (SF) Thomas Pringle TD (Independent) Niamh Smyth TD (FF) Senator Robbie Gallagher (FF) Senator Vincent P. Martin (Green) Senator Michael McDowell (Ind) Senator Lynn Ruane (Ind)

The select committee within the committee will also be tasked with the consideration of the Minister’s estimates for public spending, although the select committee is not empowered to amend these estimates. The select committee is expected to deal with the Revised Estimates for Public Services in 2023, including estimates for An Garda Síochána, prisons, the Courts Service, the Department of Justice, the Policing Authority, and the Data Protection Commission.

In doing so, the committee has affirmed its intention to focus on: what the department has committed to achieving; how money is allocated between services; and “exploring the policy issues underpinning the various spending provisions as well as to consider these matters as fully as possible”.

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TRADE UNION DESK

It may not have dominated the news cycle, but a low-key press release that issued from Strasbourg in late March 2023 will have profound implications for how we do business here and, crucially, for the lack of priority typically afforded to trade union rights. Owen Reidy, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), writes.

In essence, the news release revealed that a key European body – the European Committee of Social Rights – had found Ireland to be in serious breach of several critical labour rights provisions of the European Social Charter.

It is important to note that the European Social Charter is a fundamental building block of the modern European Union and acts to guarantee essential social and economic rights across all member states. It is equally important to note that the charter is a binding human rights treaty which this country ratified in 2000.

That Ireland could be in found in serious breach of such a pivotal piece of the EU’s architecture comes as no surprise to any trade union member or the wider labour movement.

It should also have come as no surprise to the Government, as the head of Committee of Social Rights – Aoife Nolan – very pointedly highlighted on the publication of their report: “These issues were identified four years ago, the Government has had fair warning there are problems, but they are going unaddressed.”

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The breaches outlined by the committee relate to minimum wages for younger people and the failure to ensure a decent standard of living. More fundamentally they arose from the failure of successive governments to vindicate and uphold the core trade union right to organise and bargain collectively, for improved terms and conditions.

As the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), pointed out by way of response: “The Council of Europe clearly states that in many areas Ireland is failing to protect all its workers equally and adequately. Workers’ rights are crucial to ensuring that many other rights, such as health and housing, can be accessed.”

As any trade union member or official will tell you, Ireland remains one of the most challenging places in western Europe to exercise your right to organise and access collective bargaining at work.

Essentially, these crucial rights remain in the gift of the employer. That itself serves to undermine the core principles of human rights, which hold that they are universal and inalienable and not subject to the whim or favour of others. As all trade unionists and human rights activists know – as the European Committee of Social Rights has clearly demonstrated

“

“In our view, the directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU is the vehicle to address the sort of breaches identified by the European Committee of Social Rights and the failure of successive governments...”

Owen Reidy, General Secretary, ICTU

– this is outdated, anti-democratic and is no longer tenable. But this is about to change.

The EU’s new directive on adequate minimum wages requires member states to promote and facilitate collective bargaining and to develop action plans to enable more collective bargaining, where such coverage is lower than 80 per cent. The average rate across the EU is 60 per cent. Here in Ireland it is a lamentable 35 per cent. The new directive must be transposed into Irish law in full by November 2024.

In our view, the directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU is the vehicle to address the sort of breaches identified by the European Committee of Social Rights and the failure of successive governments on this issue, over many decades. The full and complete transposition of the directive in both the spirit and the letter, is a key priority for the trade union movement here.

The process also provides an opportunity to abolish once and for all the penal and unjust reductions and deductions under the minimum wage, for all young workers.

We know there is broad and widespread support for workers to exercise their rights and receive their fair share. This has been demonstrated in repeated studies, surveys, and polls, especially those conducted in the aftermath of the pandemic.

We intend to mount a robust and comprehensive campaign to ensure that this happens and to ensure there is no attempt to carry out a ‘light touch’ or barely minimal transposition of the directive. It is long past time for change.

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Political Platform Mary Butler TD Mary Butler describes becoming the first female Waterford TD to be appointed minister since the State’s inception as the greatest honour of her life. The Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People is a proud advocate of Ireland’s oldest city.

How did your political career begin?

I have always been enthusiastic about being an active member of my local community. I served on the board of management in Portlaw National School for 10 years and I was always actively involved in the parish. My early interest in politics stemmed from this. I joined Fianna Fáil over 35 years ago. I suppose I have always been one of those people who wanted to give back to the community where I grew up.

In my 30s, Fianna Fáil approached me about running in the local elections.

However, at that stage, my family was still young, and I decided it was not the right time, but I was certainly bitten by the bug.

I did not realise this fully until I was canvassing for various other party candidates at local, national, and European level. The ambition to run never really left me and only became stronger

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with each election I was involved in.

Thankfully it was not long before the party approached me again ahead of the 2014 local elections and I felt the time was right.

I am from Portlaw, County Waterford, in the Comeragh Electoral Area. I was really proud to be the first female candidate to represent Fianna Fáil in that particular constituency. I managed to get elected, taking the sixth seat in a six-seater. It was a particularly good day for the party as we took half of the six seats. Only four of the 32 councillors elected in Waterford in those elections were female and I immediately felt we all had an important role to play. It has been 10 years, and we still have a long way to go nationally, but I am so encouraged to see a steady increase in female participation in politics at local and national level.

In 2015, I was approached by the party again. This time I was asked to consider running in the general election. I took some time to reflect and talk it over with

my family and my team as it was a big decision. I will always remember what was said to me: “Sometimes an opportunity comes your way, and you can either take it or let it pass you by.” I secured the nomination as the candidate for the party via a selection convention and I was honoured to top the poll with 10,603 votes in the 2016 general election, becoming a TD representing Waterford. I was the fourth ever female TD to represent the constituency.

What are your most notable achievements in the Oireachtas to date?

I was delighted in 2016 to co-chair the allparty committee for dementia. We, as Oireachtas members of all parties and none, worked together as a collective to raise awareness about dementia. I was also appointed Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Older People around this time. I was delighted to be able to utilise my

public affairs eolas that is one of the barriers I am trying to break down.

“People in Waterford are not afraid to articulate their opinions in relation to the county and the country they live in, and I am very, very proud to represent them.”

background in retail, both as an employer and an employee, in my time as chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee for Business, Enterprise and Innovation from 2016 to 2020. I think my finest achievement to date was being appointed Minister for Mental Health and Older People in 2020 by then-Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD. It was my delight and the greatest honour of my life to be first female Waterford TD to have been appointed minister since the foundation of the State.

I am very proud of the work I have done, especially during and in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. Covid was obviously a very challenging time for older people and people suffering with mental health conditions, so I set to work immediately and stationed myself behind the desk with the mantra that the country, and indeed the world, was in crisis and there was no time to lose. I think the weight of a global pandemic bearing down on us about a month after a general election really jumpstarted our work as a parliament and later, in government.

More generally, I am pleased to have been able to directly ensure that the key triangle of supports which enable older people to age well at home, in day care centres/dementia specific day care centres, meals on wheels, and homecare are in place. I was also delighted to be the minister that implemented key Fair Deal changes for farmers. The Fair Deal Scheme is an important piece of legislation which supports 22,500 people per year with the cost of their nursing home care via an annual budget of €1.4 billion. There was a discrepancy by which

farmers were treated differently in the scheme and I brought through legislation which meant everyone who availed of the scheme, regardless of occupation are now treated equally.

What is unique about representing the Waterford constituency?

Waterford is a fantastic constituency. It is the oldest city in Ireland. It is both a rural and urban constituency. We are blessed to be in the sunny south-east, between the sea and the mountains. We have so much to offer in terms of a health work/life balance. We are only 90 minutes from Cork city and two hours from Dublin and many, many people from the southeast and beyond have chosen to make Waterford their home.

In 2022, we were voted the best place to live in Ireland and I certainly do not disagree with that. People in Waterford are not afraid to articulate their opinions in relation to the county and the country they live in, and I am very, very proud to represent them.

What are your priorities going forward?

My priorities as a minister are to continue to implement the Programme for Government, alongside my colleagues, which was agreed upon when we entered into the three-party coalition. In terms of mental health, it is key for me to continue the strong roll out of mental health supports. I am very concerned that in some instances post code lottery is a big feature depending on where you live and

I want to continue to support older people to age well at home. I want to continue to ensure that they have access to the background supports they need.

99 per cent of people want to live out their final days in their own home and it is imperative that community supports are in place to facilitate this and that is where my focus will be. We have an ageing population in Ireland which means life expectancy is good, but it is so important that we keep one eye on the future in this respect.

I will also continue to advocate strongly for my county as a TD from Waterford.

We have made great progress in the last few years securing over €200 million in funding for the North Quays initiative which is the largest single investment ever outside of Dublin. We are also delighted now to have helped facilitate the establishment of the South East Technological University (SETU) and we will continue to make sure that we get the necessary investment to further develop this vital project.

My focus also remains firmly on University Hospital Waterford, the best performing hospital in the country over the last two years and I will continue to work to make sure that all the services necessary for the south-east are in place.

Waterford Airport is also a priority for me.

I believe it is a key infrastructural asset for the south-east.

What are your interests outside of the political sphere?

I am a very family-oriented person. I am glad I can really rely on a great family support network in my husband Mick and my three children, Jack, Jane, and Jay. Not just my immediate family, but my siblings and my elderly mother also.

I am a huge Waterford GAA fan. I sat as chair of the camogie club in my own parish on two different occasions. We are all Manchester United fans in my household. My husband and daughter were lucky enough to get tickets for the recent FA Cup semi-final and had a great trip to Wembley.

Additionally, I absolutely love walking Ozzie, our dog, and taking in the surrounds of my local area. It is great exercise and really helps clear the head on my busy days.

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New evidence shows it is past time to tackle epidemic of sexual violence in Ireland Half of women in Ireland. A quarter of men. Overall, 40 percent of Irish people.

Small wonder that this was the standout statistic from a new survey on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 20 April. Five further more detailed reports will issue over the next three months.

This is the first time that the CSO has undertaken this survey, but it is not the first of its kind. In 2002, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) commissioned research carried out by Hannah McGee and her team at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland which became known as the SAVI report. McGee has pointed out that the findings of the two surveys are not dissimilar. Together, they reveal an endemic, disturbing and worryingly high prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland.

This CSO report shows that a third of adults surveyed experienced sexual violence as a child, and a quarter as adults. Women reported higher levels of sexual violence than men, with four times as many women experiencing nonconsensual sexual intercourse over their lifetime. Women aged 25-34 reported the highest levels across all adult sexual violence types.

Echoing the SAVI report, and DRCC’s own data over years, this survey notes that most adults (78 per cent) who experienced sexual violence knew the perpetrator. About half of adults (47 per cent) who experienced sexual violence in their lifetime told someone about it Women (53 per cent) were more likely to disclose than men (34 per cent) but in general, those surveyed were more likely to disclose it if the experience was with a non-partner-only (55 per cent) than with a partner-only (16 per cent).

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With new official statistics highlighting that 40 per cent of adults in Ireland experience sexual violence in their lifetime, Noeline Blackwell, Chief Executive Officer of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, says more needs to be done to tackle an epidemic of sexual violence. experience of sexual violence in their lifetime, with two-thirds of women aged 18-24 and 40 per cent of men in that age group disclosing an incident.

The information is shocking but not surprising. Far too many people experience sexual violence, which the CSO defines as a range of nonconsensual experiences, from noncontact experiences to non-consensual sexual intercourse. The survey recognises that the ‘violence’ involved includes force but also sexual misbehaviour or activity which has a marked or profound effect on someone.

While the 2023 and 2002 surveys have broadly similar findings, the new survey is, as the CSO says, a landmark in many ways, not least because it the first time a state agency has undertaken it with the promise to repeat it. This is a sensitive topic and it can be difficult to elicit solid information. Much time and thought went into it, including consultation with survivors of sexual violence known to DRCC. Some answers may indicate increased understanding among younger people of what has happened to them when they experienced sexual violence. There is also hope in the finding that while 14 per cent of respondents over 65 had experienced sexual violence by someone in authority, only 1 per cent of those aged between 18 and 24 had. It is likely that better procedures in schools, sports

clubs, and the like have contributed to that.

So positive change is possible. It is also essential. Far too many people continue to be harmed by sexual violence and our health and justice systems are changing too slowly for people. The evidence is now incontrovertible. As acknowledged in the Programme for Government, we have an epidemic of sexual violence – one that does immeasurable harm to too many people, who suffer in silence; one that assaults dignity and denies equality. It will take work, time, and thought to bring this epidemic to an end. But it will certainly be worth it to create a healthier, safer Ireland.

Noeline Blackwell is Chief Executive Officer of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

4If you have been affected by sexual violence, at any time, you can contact the free, confidential 24-hour National Helpline 1800 778888

4You can also access the online guide Finding Your Way after Sexual Violence at www.drcc.ie/fyw

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