Ireland's consistent failure to deliver "critical" climate action plans on time has "undermined the whole EU-wide process" of climate action, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action was told that the country's poor performance "has frustrated public participation" and could even "create a backlash" against climate goals.
"Ireland really needs to step up its game," Dr Ciara Brennan, Director of the Environmental Justice Network Ireland, said.
The committee is discussing progress on the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which runs to 2030, and the National Long-Term Climate Action Strategy (nLTS), which looks at the period beyond 2030.
Ireland's entire approach to the two "critical planning processes" has been "really problematic," Dr Brennan said, as it has been "consistently late across all of these processes" - more so than any other EU nation.
Ireland was three years late publishing the draft long-term strategy, Dr Brennan noted, adding that the final version must be submitted by the end of this year.
She warned that the "extreme" delay "has led to piecemeal, incomplete and out-of-date plans" and "confusion between stakeholders".
The delay also raises "very profound" issues, including whether the Government simply does not have a long-term strategy for climate planning, and has not had the discussions needed to develop one.
Ireland must 'step up its game' on climate action plans
Ireland's consistent failure to deliver "critical" climate action plans on time has "undermined the whole EU-wide process" of climate action, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
