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Factsheet for measure IE-2023-41/3413 – Updated – measures in Ireland

Range of green transition measures included in Budget 2024 and 2025

Country Ireland , applies nationwide
Time period Open ended, started on 10 October 2023
Context Green Transition
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery into a green future
– Financing the green transition
Author Roisin Farelly (IRN Publishing) and Eurofound
Measure added 13 November 2023 (updated 30 January 2025)

Background information

The Government has included a number of green initiatives in its Budget for 2024. In a statement, the Government said it was the highest-ever Budget allocation for the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and that this demonstrates the government’s commitment to achieving a climate neutral, sustainable and digitally-connected Ireland. Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, said he 'has secured €1.159 billion in Budget 2024 to support families and communities with energy costs while continuing the drive towards a low-carbon, digitally-connected future.'

Content of measure

The measures include:

  • Three further Electricity Credits of €150 for domestic customers to a total value of just over €1 billion.
  • Funding of €380 million for residential and community energy upgrades.
  • The expansion of the Warmer Homes Scheme, which provides free energy efficiency upgrades to households in, or at risk of, energy poverty.
  • The introduction of a new Deposit Return Scheme for aluminium cans and plastic bottles and a parallel scheme for the provision of free public water drinking fountains in all Local Authority areas.
  • €20 million to remediate former landfill sites.
  • €45 million for projects that are approved for EU and national Just Transition funds.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

01 October 2024

Budget 2025 also including funding of €469 million for residential and community energy upgrades, including the Solar PV (photovoltaic) Scheme and the Warmer Homes Scheme which provides free, fully-funded energy upgrades for low-income households at risk of energy poverty.

Use of measure

No information.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Applies to all workers Applies to all businesses Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Local / regional government
European Funds
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Social partners were not involved in the designing of the measures.

Views and reactions

No available information on social partners' views.

Sources

  • 10 October 2023: Minister Ryan delivers record €1.159 billion investment in Budget 2024 to support families, communities, and a net-zero future (www.gov.ie)
  • 01 October 2024: Minister Ryan delivers €1.4 billion in Budget 2025 supporting families and communities, and underpinning our journey to net-zero (www.gov.ie)

Citation

Eurofound (2023), Range of green transition measures included in Budget 2024 and 2025, measure IE-2023-41/3413 (measures in Ireland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/IE-2023-41_3413.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.