Alex White SC

Mr White’s appointment for a five-year term was confirmed yesterday alongside the reappointment of Professor Peter Thorne, Dr Cara Augustenborg and Jillian Mahon as ordinary members.

A barrister and accredited mediator, Mr White is the director general of the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIAE) as well as a member of the National Paediatric Hospital’s development board and the board of Trinity College Dublin.

He was the minister for communications, energy and natural resources from 2014 to 2016, and minister of state in the Department of Health from 2012 to 2014.

He has served as a TD, chairing an Oireachtas committee from 2011 to 2012; as a Senator, including as leader of the Labour Party in the Seanad; and as a member of two local authorities.

Prior to commencing legal practice in 1994, Mr White was a radio producer with RTÉ. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, where he studied economic and social studies, and of the King’s Inns.

The Climate Change Advisory Council was established on a statutory basis in January 2016 under section 8 of the Climate and Low Carbon Development Act 2015.

Its function includes advising ministers and government on climate policy, conducting annual and periodic reviews of progress in furthering the achievement of reducing emissions as well as proposing carbon budgets.

Climate, energy and environment minister Darragh O’Brien said: “At the outset, I would like to express my thanks to the outgoing chair, Ms Marie Donnelly, for her contribution and commitment to the Council.

“I wish to welcome the new chair of the Council, Mr Alex White. Mr White will bring a breadth of relevant expertise and experience to the role of chair across the legal, energy, communications, political and stakeholder fields.

“It was also important to ensure business continuity and to address the large turnover of the Council. As such, I also, wish to express my gratitude to the three current members being re-appointed for a second term.

“Each of these ordinary members have contributed substantially to the work of the Council in their current term bringing their unique experience and expertise which I have no doubt will continue to enrich the Council’s skillset and play a key role in our ability to decarbonise our economy.”

He added: “There remain four vacancies on the Council to be filled, and it is my intention to bring a further memorandum to government shortly with recommendation to fill all current and upcoming vacancies in 2026.”