Failing to tackle climate change in Ireland will have a direct impact on the country's built environment, according to a Government report.

Launching the Heritage Council findings, Environment Minister John Gormley said climate change presents an "immediate and significant threat" to the nation's natural and built environments.

"Climate change is happening and even if we are successful in terms of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, the impacts from the build up of greenhouse gasses is something we are going to have to grapple with for many decades to come."

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The Minister noted the expanding corpus of work now being published on climate change adaptation, which he said was indicative of the increased attention which was being given to this important aspect of the climate change agenda.

"What is particularly striking is the way the Heritage Council has used the research outputs to assess the implications of climate change in their sectors.

"We need more of this kind of approach and I feel that this work provides a template which could be followed in other sectors," he added.

This new report will contribute to the development of the National Climate Change Adaptation Framework and the proposed Climate Change Bill both of which are now in progress.

(PR/BMcC)