SPC 4 - Minutes

Minutes of Strategic Policy Committee 4 (Climate Change) Meeting held on Wednesday 29th July 2020 in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo at 11 am


IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Mr. Ciarán Hayes, Chief Executive
  • Mr. Tom Kilfeather, Director of Services
  • Councillor Sinéad Maguire (Chairperson)
  • Councillor Martin Connolly
  • Councillor Dónal Gilroy
  • Councillor Dara Mulvey
  • Mr. Bernard Finan, Agriculture/Farming Sector Representative
  • Ms. Yvonne Lang, Environment/Conservation Sector Representative
  • Ms. Siobhán Gillen, A/Administrative Officer
  • Mr. Pete Murtagh, Environmental Awareness Officer
  • Ms. Clodagh Quinn, Staff Officer

 

APOLOGIES:

  • Ms. Laura Gaffney, Business/Commercial Sector Representative
  • Ms. Lisa Moore, Community/Voluntary Sector Representative

 

1.  WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

Future meeting documentation would be circulated to members two weeks prior to the meeting and such documentation would be sent electronically.

The key contact person for issues relating to the SPC is Ms. Siobhán Gillen.

The quorum for meetings will be 4 no. members – it was proposed by Councillor Dónal Gilroy, seconded by Councillor Martin Connolly and agreed that this would comprise at least 1 no. Elected Member and 1 no. sectoral representative.

The Chairperson, Councillor Sinéad Maguire, welcomed all present to the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).  She highlighted the importance of the SPC and looked forward to working with committee members throughout the term to formulate relevant policies in the area of Climate Change.

 

2. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ISSUES

The Chief Executive, Mr. Ciarán Hayes, advised committee members that changes are required to the current Standing Orders which govern Council meetings to make provision for SPC 4. The following details were discussed and agreed:

 

3. CLIMATE CHANGE PRIORITIES

The Chief Executive, Mr. Ciarán Hayes and Mr. Pete Murtagh, Environmental Awareness Officer, took committee members through a detailed presentation on what is happening both nationally and locally in terms of responding to climate change.  National policies and plans, climate change targets, the national public lighting project, collaboration with the GAA and the establishment of the four Climate Action Regional Offices (CAROs) were all outlined to members.  At a local level, Mr. Pete Murtagh informed members that Sligo County Council adopted a Climate Adaptation Strategy in September 2019 which includes a list of actions for climate adaptation planning in Sligo. Committee members were advised of ongoing local projects and initiatives which among others, include the installation of an air quality monitoring system on the Inner Relief Road, collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) in I.T. Sligo in relation to an energy efficiency masterplan and the examination of green areas owned by the Council which could potentially facilitate allotments, community gardens etc.  

Initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors, Decarbonising Zones and the ISO 50001 energy management standard were also discussed as possible ambitions for the SPC to work towards.

In terms of challenges posed, it was felt that these mostly lay in the areas of behavioural change and the difficulty in assessing the impact that any climate change campaigns may have on seeking to address that change. It was suggested that collaboration and engagement with all sectors of society, in particular the youth sector, is required to overcome the aforementioned challenges.

 

4. WORK PROGRAMME

The Chief Executive, Mr. Ciarán Hayes, advised the meeting that the presentation (referred to in Item No. 3 above) was being used to inform the Work Programme for the SPC.  Following the meeting, a suitable Draft Work Programme will be devised and brought before members for consideration at the next meeting.

 

5. SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

It was agreed that a further two meetings would be held before the end of the year.

The next meeting was arranged for Wednesday, 14th October at 11 a.m. in the Council Chamber, County Hall with the remaining meeting to take place in December.

 

6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The possibility of a visit by the SPC to Devenish Nutrition in Co. Meath is to be explored.

 

The business of the meeting concluded at 12.50 p.m.

 


Meeting Date 29/07/2020