Renamed department to include ‘environment’ in title

A Government department is to be renamed to include “environment’’ in its title, the Dáil has been told.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Denis Naughten said the department would be known as the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the transfer of functions from the previous Department of Environment, Community and Local Government was completed.

Mr Naughten said the transfer of the environment function allowed the synergies between climate and sustainable energy policy to be fully realised.

"It brings a coherence across the various policy areas involved, and will ensure that Ireland addresses the challenges in ways that are technically feasible, cost-effective and fair in terms of Ireland's contribution to the overall EU ambition.''

He said air-quality policy was also moving, affording the opportunity to fully integrate energy decarbonisation with the attendant air-quality implications.

Mr Naughten said the Government would continue to strive to protect Ireland’s energy supply, generation, security, affordability and sustainability, and to ensure Ireland complied with international energy and climate-change policies.

The Minister was replying to Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, who said including "environment'' in the title would allow the Minister "grab the power and grow the department, to strengthen and empower it within Government''.

Mr Ryan said by putting his department as the lead for the environment it strengthened the Minister’s case in Cabinet and what was needed to do across State agencies, in the public service and elsewhere.