Longford County Council has published what it calls an “ambitious” five-year Climate Action Plan for the county.
Under the national Climate Action Plan, each local authority is required to develop their own individual climate action plans.
This is the latest local authority Climate Action Plan, after Galway County Council published its plan late last month.
Co. Longford’s plan contains 53 actions to “help create a low carbon and climate resilient” county. The plan is available for inspection by the public at the main offices of Longford County Council and at local library branches.
The local authority’s Climate Action Team, formed in July 2023, developed the draft Climate Action Plan, following a public consultation process last November and December.
After that, the plan was submitted to the elected members of Longford County Council and adopted at a meeting on February 14 last.
Speaking on the launch of the plan, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Fine Gael Cllr. Colm Murray, said, “The 53 actions of this plan will be achieved through leading by example. That means delivering and promoting best practice in climate action at a local level, something I know Longford County Council will not shy away from.”
The county council said that the plan is aligned with the government’s overall national climate objective, which seeks to achieve, by the end of 2050, the transition to a “climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy”.
Longford County Council chief executive Paddy Mahon added, “The measurement, evaluation and monitoring of this plan as we move forward will show that Longford is playing its part towards helping to place Ireland on a trajectory to achieving climate neutrality by the end of 2050.”
The plan conforms with the requirements of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, which frames Ireland’s climate target to deliver a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 51% by 2030, the county council said.
Longford County Council
The meeting at which the plan was adopted by Longford County Council, on February 14, was, coincidentally, on the same day that the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) addressed members of the council about the issues facing farmers.
It was the first action of the farm organisation’s “Enough is Enough” campaign which was announced by IFA president Francie Gorman the previous day.
Longford IFA chair John Sheridan told Agriland at the time that farmers are very frustrated about delays to scheme payments, including the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).
Sheridan also said that farmers are unhappy about being constantly blamed for climate change.
The Longford IFA chair was allocated 15 minutes to address the councillors that day, telling them that the EU, the Irish government and local government are devising policies far from the farmgate, with “little or no consideration” of the direct impact on farmers.