Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment

Runs Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment to support practical collaboration across research and industry.

The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment is an Irish government department responsible for climate action, renewable energy, energy security, the circular economy, and environmental protection. It was known as DECC until early 2025, and the National Development Plan 2021-2030 assigned it €12.9 billion, which signals the scale of the policy and funding remit around Ireland's low-carbon transition.

DCEE backs community organisations, SMEs, and local authorities through grant programmes and co-funded routes. The department's public programmes include the Climate Action Fund, the EU Just Transition Fund for Ireland's Midlands, the Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme, and the Community Climate Action Programme. In practice, delivery often runs through partner bodies such as SEAI, Pobal, EMRA, and Community Foundation Ireland.

Its strongest value is that it links policy with implementation: DCEE sets the direction, while delivery partners handle many of the operational steps. That makes it a useful entry point for applicants seeking climate, energy, circular-economy, or local transition support, especially where a community group or local authority needs a grant route that sits inside national climate policy.