Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 May 2023
133. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the discussions he has had with stakeholders in the transport sector, with a view to maximising a changeover to the use of non-fossil fuels while maintaining best economic focus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20932/23]
View answerMy Department and I hold regular engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and representative bodies with regard to policy development in the transport sector. Details of my ministerial diary from July 2020 to February 2023 are publicly available on my Department’s website (www.gov.ie/transport).
With regard to the transition of our vehicle fleets to non-fossil fuels while maintaining best economic focus, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 enshrines the State’s legally binding commitment to achieve 51% emissions abatement at an economy-wide level by 2030, and provides for a national climate objective, to pursue and achieve no later than 2050, a transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy.
In accordance with the provisions of this Act, the updated transport chapter of Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) sets out the proposed decarbonisation pathway for the sector, and details the level of change and key work programmes that will be required to meet the 50% emissions abatement and sectoral emissions ceilings that were established by Government in July 2022.
This decarbonisation pathway is informed by detailed transport modelling undertaken with the National Transport Authority and through wider stakeholder engagement and participation as part of the National Dialogue on Climate Action and National Climate Stakeholder Forum (www.gov.ie).
Our transport decarbonisation pathway is premised on an AVOID-SHIFT-IMPROVE hierarchical framework for greater transport sustainability. Here, AVOID measures aim to reduce or avoid the need for travel through enhanced spatial planning, SHIFT measures encourage modal shift to more sustainable modes of transport, and IMPROVE measures seek to improve the efficiency of residual vehicle-based transport on the transport network.
Included under this decarbonisation pathway are a number of key work programmes that relate to and support the transition of our vehicle fleets from fossil-fuels (i.e. IMPROVE measures). These include the work of the Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland (ZEVI) office and roll-out of our National Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Strategy, our Renewable Transport Fuels policy, and progressing key short-term actions and long-term enablers from the first 10-year strategy for the Road Haulage sector – where I note significant public consultation was undertaken across each .
A draft national strategy for the development of EV charging infrastructure to 2025 was published for consultation in March 2022, followed by a public consultation in May 2022. Over 14,000 public responses and 100 stakeholder responses were received, which informed the development of the final strategy and implementation plan, which were published in January 2023 (www.gov.ie).
With regard to our renewable transport fuels policy, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) is the means through which CAP23 biofuel targets and European requirements for renewable energy in transport by 2030 will be met.
The regulations setting the RTFO rate (established at approximately 17% of fossil fuel supply currently) and related matters are established through Ministerial orders and regulations, which are subject to a statutory consultation. As part of this consultation process, I am obliged as Minister to take into account the impact on fuel prices in the State, and any other effects on economic activities in the State, or on the environment, of making the orders and regulations. I further note an ongoing public consultation to seek views in relation to my Department’s draft Renewable Fuel for Transport Policy Statement 2023-2025, with a closing date for submissions of 26 May (www.gov.ie).
Finally, I note that two public consultations were undertaken to inform the development of our Road Haulage Strategy (published December 2022). The first consultation opened in April 2021 and ended in July 2022, with 43 submissions received. A second public consultation on a draft of the strategy was undertaken in November 2022, which included in depth sessions with key stakeholders on the draft text, with a total of 27 submissions received. Further details regarding these submissions are available on www.gov.ie, and my Department continues to engage with our agency and industry partners on implementation of this strategy, through the Road Freight Forum (established February 2023).
