SPC 4 - Minutes

Minutes of the Strategic Policy Committee 4 - Climate Change Meeting Held on Thursday 30th March 202 At 10.00am in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo/Virtual Meeting Room (V)


IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Councillor Sineád Maguire (Chairperson)
  • Councillor Dara Mulvey
  • Bernard Finan, PPN Agriculture/Farming Sector Representative
  • Councillor Paul Taylor (V)
  • Emer Concannon, A/Director of Services, Sligo County Council
  • Mr Fineen O’Driscoll, A/Senior Engineer, Sligo County Council
  • Pete Murtagh, Energy Efficiency & Climate Action Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Roisin Curran, Climate Action Graduate, Sligo County Council
  • Imelda McCarron, Administration Officer, Sligo County Council

 

APOLOGIES:

  • Councillor Martin Connolly
  • Yvonne Lang, PPN Environment/Conservation Sector Representative
  • Lisa Moore, PPN Community and Voluntary Representative
  • Councillor Donal Gilroy

 

1. Minutes of meeting held on 23rd November 2022.

The minutes of the SPC 4 meeting held on 23rd November 2022 were proposed by Councillor D. Mulvey and seconded by Councillor S Maguire and agreed.

 

2. Matters Arising

None

 

3. Work Programme 2022/23

Mr Pete Murtagh delivered an overview of the progress of the full 2022 work programme. Report circulated in advance of the meeting (attached).

Clarification sought on the 3 locations for the SCORE project: Streedagh, Dunmoran and Enniscrone.

GEMINI project refers to the funding application for a geothermal facility for the Regional Sport Centre. If funding application is successful, it is anticipated that work will commence on that in September 2023.

Energy Agency (external to LA) is due to launch in May 2023 but PM to confirm details when more information is available. Location for that team also to be confirmed in due course.

Energy Bureau (internal to LA) is assisting with projects; assessment of buildings, fleet etc. – the projects may benefit from SEAI funding in due course.

Support to SECs – LA is bridge financing this project. Sligo CoCo pay the consultant to work with community groups and then the Council recoup that from SEAI. Discussion over the role of the SEAI as a funding agency and how that sits within the Energy Agency and SECs, who facilitate communities and homeowners with technical expertise to assist in accessing the funding.

Confirmation that the two faster charger points will be Teach Laighne, Tubbercurry and Connaughton Road car park in Sligo Town.

It was confirmed that the Decarbonisation Zone was to progress and is to be included as part of the Climate Action Plan for Sligo County Council. This includes the SE quadrant of Sligo Town. A certain amount of work has already been done but still a lot more due over the coming months. Projects such as the GEMINI project, retro fitting houses, smokeless fuel project etc. will all account towards DZ.

 

4. Climate Action Plan (CAP)

Sligo County Council are working closely with CARO and other LA’s on the preparation of the CAP, which needs to be adopted by 24th February 2024.

The CAP along with ISO 50001 will be the main focus for 2023.  Stakeholder engagement is in the first phase of the CAP preparation.

Discussion was had around the importance of involving the agricultural community in the CAP progress. While the LA has no control over farming activities, the LA can influence practices through the CAP. Leitrim County Council has invited a farmer representative onto the committee internally and there were calls for Sligo CoCo to do the same.

Bernard’s active contributions to the SPC was acknowledged and it was agreed that PM would be in touch in due course re: engagement with the agricultural sector.

 

5. Climate Action Fund

The Community Climate Action fund will be administered by the (newly appointed) Community Climate Action Officer. Community Climate Action Officer’s role has been advertised and applications received. Interviews are due to be held shortly.

The deadline for spend has not yet been confirmed but it is expected that there will be 2 x 18-month slots for delivery with a second tranche of funding being released at the end of the first 18 months.

 

6. Sligo Leitrim Energy Agency

Covered during the workplan update.

 

7. Date of the next meeting

Tuesday 20th June at 10.00am

 

8. Any Other Business

Yvonne Lang (Through the Chair) brought a proposal to engage with the youth and young people on Climate Change issues. Galway Youth Assembly have an assembly of 2nd year students who are tasked with developing a project on Climate Change and it was proposed that a similar scheme would be established in Sligo County Council.

Councillor Maguire reiterated the idea of including a young person had been discussed at the outset of setting up this SPC but it was not possible due to the statutory requirements and so suggested that if the SPC could work with this idea which would facilitate the input from the younger generation who were the ones we need to drive our actions on climate change. The

Chair also noted the three new positions being established within the council and hope that one of those roles might be in a position to assist with this project.

It was agreed in principle, that through the meeting members this would be investigated in more detail but that the Climate Change team may not have the capacity to assist given the volume of work required from them.

YL to be asked to set out for the next meeting, what was involved in Galway. This will inform how this could potentially be rolled out in Sligo.

 

Councillor Maguire thanked all present and the meeting concluded.

 


Meeting Date 30/03/2023