Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive welcome Climate Action Plan progress
Leitrim County Council has made significant progress in the second year (2025) of implementing the Leitrim Climate Action Plan 2024-2029, with climate action now embedded across all Council services and operations.
An update recently presented to Elected Members highlighted the whole-of-Council approach, supported by a dedicated Climate Action Team that meets quarterly to drive delivery and monitor progress.
Of the 206 actions contained in the Plan, 144 have been completed (113 actions closed out for 2025 are recurring annually), 48 are in progress, and 14 have yet to commence. Progress made to date is contributing not only to climate objectives but also towards wider Sustainable Development Goals across Council services.
Key achievements include:
- Continued investment in building retrofit programmes and energy-efficiency measures.
- Rollout of LED public lighting upgrades.
- Pilot HVO fuel trial to support fleet decarbonisation.
- Delivery of new social housing to A2 energy standards and retrofit upgrades of existing homes to B2 standard through the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP).
- Ongoing climate action training for staff across all levels of the organisation.
The Council has strengthened its approach to climate adaptation and emergency preparedness following the impact of Storm Éowyn in January 2025, which left thousands of homes in Leitrim without power for extended periods. Lessons learned from the event continue to inform emergency planning and response measures.
Work is progressing on a range of projects designed to build climate resilience, including flood relief schemes, nature-based solutions, active travel infrastructure, safer routes to schools, greenway developments and improved public transport facilities.
A dedicated Decarbonising Zone group continues to drive climate action initiatives in Carrick-on-Shannon in partnership with local stakeholders. The achievement of Carrick-on-Shannon Tidy Towns to win Ireland's Tidiest Town 2025 and Overall Winner of Ireland's Tidiest Small Town, reflects a strong environmental commitment within the community.
The Council has advanced plans for a potential district heating network in Carrick-on-Shannon, following a countywide pre-feasibility study that identified the town as the strongest candidate for development. A full feasibility study for Carrick-on-Shannon commenced during 2025.
Community engagement remains a central focus in building capacity across Co. Leitrim. The second Leitrim Climate Action Week, held in partnership with An Taisce (October), featured more than 30 public events. Meanwhile, over €1.2 million has been invested in local projects through the Community Climate Action Programme to date, helping communities reduce emissions and build climate resilience.
Cathaoirleach Mary Bohan said:
"I welcome the strong progress being made across all Council services in delivering the Leitrim Climate Action Plan. The Plan provides a clear roadmap for meeting our climate commitments and supporting a more sustainable future for the county.
"The Community Climate Action Programme has made a real difference at grassroots level, with more than €1.2 million invested in local projects to date. I hope to see further opportunities to strengthen cross-border collaboration through future programme funding."
Chief Executive Joseph Gilhooly said:
"This progress report demonstrates the breadth of climate action taking place across the Council, from major investment in active travel and flood relief projects to reducing our own operational emissions and supporting community-led initiatives. The Council have signed a new Climate Action Charter in 2026, which represents further shared commitment to embed climate action across all the Council’s services and functions into the future”