Public consultation on the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for the Communications Sector 2025

Climate change is already affecting Ireland’s communications sector as extreme weather becomes more common, disrupting services and exposing vulnerabilities in infrastructure.

In early 2025, the most recent example, Storm Éowyn, brought hurricane-force winds that caused widespread disruption to communication services. Such an event highlights the urgent need to adapt how we manage communication infrastructure. It is prompting a re-evaluation of resilience strategies within the sector.

To prepare for the future, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport has developed an updated Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan (SAP) for the Communication Networks sector. Climate adaptation actions aim to reduce the impacts of climate change and take advantage of any opportunities that may present themselves through climate change.

The SAP looks at the risks to Communication Networks on a cross sectoral basis and sets out how Ireland’s communication networks can become more resilient to climate change. The SAP also points out gaps in this analysis that will need to be addressed over the lifetime of this plan

Our vision for the sector is that Ireland’s communication networks will be adapted to ensure they can continue to support a vibrant society and economy in the face of climate change.

Your feedback

We want your input to help shape the final version of the SAP. We’re inviting feedback from individuals, communities, businesses and organisations across Ireland. In particular, we would like to hear your views on:

• Whether the plan helps to prepare communication networks for climate change
• Which parts of communication networks are most at risk and how you or your area is already being affected
• What support or changes are required to put climate adaptation into action
• How can adaptation polices ensure that vulnerable groups are not disproportionately affected by climate change impacts or adaptation measures

How to make a submission

The period for consultation opens on Friday 15 August 2025 and ends at 5:30pm on Friday 12 September 2025.

Respondents can submit their input by email to the following address: commssap25@ccs.gov.ie

or by post to:

Communication Networks Sectoral Adaptation Plan

Strategy Development and Business Management Unit

Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

Tom Johnson House, Haddington Road, Dublin D04 K7X4

Publishing of responses

We may publish submissions received on our website. If we do, any personal data will be removed before publication.

Please indicate any sensitive information

When responding, clearly indicate if any part of your submission includes:

• personal information
• commercially sensitive or confidential information that you would not wish to be disclosed under FOI, AIE, or otherwise published.

We will consider all such requests.

Data protection

Please note that responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI), Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2007-2018 (AIE) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We would like to draw your attention to our Data Protection policy which explains how and when we collect personal data, why we do so and how we treat this information. It also explains your rights in relation to the collection of personal information and how you can exercise those rights.