To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an update on the appointment of a Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner.

Mrs O'Neill (The First Minister)

The Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner Regulations 2025 were affirmed by the Assembly and made by the Executive Office on 8 April 2025. They came into force on 9 April 2025. The regulations provide the legal authority for TEO to appoint a Climate Commissioner. Since then, officials have been undertaking work to establish the commissioner's office. That work includes the preparatory work for a public appointment process to be run in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments code of practice, which will lead to the appointment of a Climate Commissioner. Supporting work has been progressing on the drafting of an appropriate business case and on working through the approvals that are required by the Department of Finance. That also involves consideration of the most appropriate staffing structure for the office; identification of suitable office accommodation; and arranging the key systems for human resources, IT, records management and finance. An indicative budget of £3 million — £1 million per annum for three years — to support the operation of the office has been included in the draft Budget, which is out for consultation, and will need Executive consideration before being agreed.

Mrs O'Neill

We have a difference of opinion on that. It is the will of the Assembly that we establish a Climate Commissioner. As I said, we are going through all the processes, including the business case, and carrying out the due diligence work that is required. The role of the commissioner will be really important for us. We only have to look at the extreme rain that we have seen since Christmas: weather events that, previously, would have been described as once in a lifetime events, or events that occurred once every 50 years, are now a very regular occurrence. That is a direct result of climate change. We have to play our part and do something about it. There are lots of things going on across all Departments, but the sooner that we get our commissioner in place — one who can work in tandem with everybody — the sooner that we can fulfil our responsibilities around climate change obligations. I believe that the majority of people will do, and want to do, that. It is about having a just transition — a fair transition — and allowing people, particularly our farmers, to play their part. Farmers have always said that they are part of the solution. I believe that that is the case. Let us get to work with a commissioner. We will come back to the House with next stages when we have the business case and everything else complete.

Ms Murphy

First Minister, you mentioned something very important in your response: a just and fair transition. What will that mean for farmers, families and workers?

Mrs O'Neill

The Member represents a rural constituency so she will know from engagement with farm families that they want to play their part, and will play their part, but they want fairness, and they want support to adjust and transition towards playing their part. Our ambitious target of achieving net zero by 2050 is challenging. We are slightly behind other jurisdictions, but the pathway has been set. The commissioner will provide a unique opportunity to enable us to target specific sectors to look at what can be done and how we can work with individual sectors. Some will be able to do more than others. That is the approach that we need to see. Confronting a climate crisis — I do not think that anybody can deny that that is what it is — means reshaping our economy to create a more equal and more sustainable society. In essence, that is what the just transition is all about. It has to be planned. The commissioner will allow us the ability to do that and to have conversations with farmers, citizens and businesses, all of whom will have a role to play in making sure that the transition is implemented fairly and equitably across the board. We are slightly behind other jurisdictions in the emission reductions that we have achieved thus far, but, by working across the House and all sectors, we can reach those targets and do more.

Mr Brett

First Minister, at a time when our public services are crumbling, the vast majority of the public will be appalled that you want to spend £3 million on yet another quango. When I asked you this question at Committee, you called me "a climate change denier", without any evidence to back up that claim. Could you outline to the House Northern Ireland's contribution to global emissions on an annual basis, please?

Mrs O'Neill

The Member took the opportunity to set that out very clearly at the Committee, and I had no doubt that he was going to ask a similar question today. Instead of running away from the climate crisis — we do have a crisis — we need to do something about it. We need to find ways to work with our farmers and our business industry leaders to make sure that we can all play our part in doing right by the climate. Our public services will continue to be decimated if we have to keep investing in roads that have been dug up because of extreme weather, such as snow and ice. The climate has a real-life impact on our public services. We need to work together on the climate crisis and do everything that we can. We are protecting the future for our children and grandchildren, and we are protecting this world that we live in, but we should be able to do that in a joined-up way by working constructively with people. We should also do it through a just transition that allows people to navigate from where they are to where they need to get to and to play their part.

Mr Carroll

I have a concern that the Executive have, for too long, operated in the interests of the big agri-food sector. I hope that that does not continue. You mentioned a figure of £3 million for the Climate Commissioner and the staffing structure. How many staff will that include, and will the commissioner have teeth to intervene and impose fines, if necessary? What happens if the deputy First Minister does not agree to the commissioner being established?

Mrs O'Neill

We will take one problem at a time. We have to work our way through this. The deputy First Minister may take her own position, but it is the will of this Assembly to bring forward legislation. We are going through the business case process and doing all the due diligence at this time. It is very clear that the Members on the opposite Benches do not agree with the approach that the rest of us have agreed to. This is about us trying, as custodians, to play our part in protecting the place in which we live for future generations. The commissioner will be able to provide advice and make recommendations to various Departments on the operation of the Act. They will be able to do research, which will inform how we move forward. They will monitor and implement the climate action plans and sectoral policies. They have reports to publish. There is a lot to be done. The Member asked about the staffing of the office. We are working our way through the business case with the Department of Finance, and we will then be able to say more about that. Obviously, budgets will be crucial to what we can do in the office. As I said in the initial answer, as part of the three-year Budget, we have looked at the allocation that we have asked for. That is still to be decided. That will definitely have an impact on what we can do, but suffice it to say that the office needs to provide value for money and needs to pass the business case test. We are actively working, at official level, with Department of Finance officials.