Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2019
550. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if costed proposals were submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the climate action plan 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27492/19]
View answerI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 575, 586, 594 and 608 of 25 June 2019. The actions contained in the Climate Action Plan fall broadly into four categories:
- Public funding provided in the annual estimates process and in Project Ireland 2040;
- Measures such as setting a long-term trajectory for the carbon tax, in order to change long-term behaviour and decision to encourage investment in more sustainable choices;
- New regulations to end certain practices (e.g. phasing out oil and gas boilers in homes or introducing low emission zones in cities) and
- Actions to promote public and community engagement and participation in reducing our emissions.
The Exchequer and other public funding costs of the Plan will be met through Project Ireland 2040, which provides €30 billion for low carbon and sustainable mobility investments in the period to 2027.
The exact costs of some actions will be determined from the detailed policy design work, which will consist of a mix of regulations, taxes, and subsidies which the Government may choose to deploy to achieve the targeted abatement range in each sector.
Under the Climate Action Plan, each sector shall have a carbon budget, which will be the total amount of emissions which are permitted in a particular period.
My Department had an ongoing engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in the preparation of the Climate Action Plan 2019, and the two Departments will continue to cooperate closely in the context of implementation of the Plan.
