Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
945. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the State supports a 2025 fuel efficiency standard for cars, vans and trucks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29046/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may know, EU legislation sets mandatory emission reduction targets for new cars and vans with the aim of improving the fuel efficiency of cars sold on the European market. The law requires that new cars registered in the EU must not emit more than an average of 130 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre by 2015. By 2021, phased in from 2020, the fleet average to be achieved by all new cars is 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. In Ireland, the impact of these standards has been reinforced through the implementation of an emissions-based motor taxation system for cars, which was first introduced in 2008.
The effectiveness of the combined national and European measures is very evident from the profile of the new private car fleet in Ireland. In 2007, 1.5% of all new cars were in the A emissions band, while 17.7% were in the combined bands A and B, which are the most efficient bands. In comparison, for the first half of 2014, 67.2% of all new cars were in the A band and 94.8% were in the combined A and B bands. The average emissions of new cars by the end of 2014 was expected to be less than 120 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre, which is well below the 2015 target.
Consequently, from an emissions perspective, there would seem to be significant validity in proposals to introduce more stringent efficiency targets for cars and vans by 2025. Ireland, as a technology taker, would welcome any measures that would seek to stimulate innovation in the car manufacturing sector. Encouraging the development of very low or zero emitting vehicles also has additional clean air and noise reduction co-benefits.
EU-wide action has the capacity to generate much greater change than Member States acting alone. Measures generated at a national level tend to have very high marginal costs. I would be supportive of introducing reduced emissions targets for cars and vans by 2025. I would welcome an examination of the impacts of implementing similar standards for heavy vehicles.
