Aviation Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015

Tuesday, 14 July 2015

Questions (944)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

944. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department is co-operating with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in engaging with the process that is under way at the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO. to establish a global market-based mechanism for international aviation; the way Ireland is ensuring the ICAO mechanism will have environmental integrity equal to that of the European Union emissions trading scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29043/15]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

My Department is taking the lead role for Ireland in the process that is under way at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and will continue to liaise with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in the lead-up to the planned conclusion of negotiations at the next ICAO Assembly in Autumn 2016.  The EU Emissions Trading Scheme is one of a number of such schemes in operation worldwide. Its scope is currently confined to flights operating between EU/EEA airports. While such regional schemes are not intrinsically linked to the current ICAO process to develop a global scheme with the aim of covering a greater level of international aviation activity, the issue of ensuring environmental integrity in a global scheme is a key objective for the EU, a position that Ireland strongly supports. It is not possible at this stage to indicate the nature and scope of the mechanism that will ultimately emerge from the current ICAO process, but it would be the basic expectation of Ireland and the EU generally that it would deliver an enhancement to the prevailing situation.