Dublin City Council is set to take the lead in tackling climate change in Ireland. It will be co-ordinating a regional response so that Dublin’s four local authorities will meet the demands outlined in the Kyoto Agreement.

Sinn Féin’s Dublin Spokesperson for the Environment Cllr. Daithí Doolan, a member of Dublin City Council’s Environment Strategic Policy Committee, announced the establishment of an All-Party Working Group charged with implementing the council’s five-year environmental strategy.

“An all-party group has been established to work on the five year strategy linked directly to the Kyoto Agreement, which will focus on:

Waste Management. The promotion of reduction, reusing and recycling as alternatives to land fill & incineration. Adoption of a Zero Waste Policy for Dublin and the scrapping of any plans for an incinerator in Dublin.

Transport. The promotion of public transport over private cars. Renewable energy sources for Dublin City Council vehicles

Planning. To ensure that all developments are environmentally & socially sustainable. Develop guidelines for lands at risk of flooding. Integrated actions on spatial planning to reduce commuting.

Energy. To increase use of renewable energy sources in heating existing buildings and new developments. Renewable energy sources to become standard in renovation programmes for Dublin City Council

Policy proofing. To ensure all policy developed by Dublin City Council is Environmentally Proofed and is in line with the Kyoto Agreement.

Interdepartmental Co-operation. Establish an interdepartmental group by June 2007 to oversee and implement this strategy.”

Cllr. Doolan said, “the City Council’s working group will be formally linking in with the other three local authorities and will be co-opting environmental groups and NGOs to ensure this does not end up a talking shop.”

Above: Eco houses.