Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 December 2015
19. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if Ireland will meet its transport renewables targets under the European Union's sharing effort for greenhouse gas reductions; and if he will address concerns that he has no strategic plan in place for reaching our 20% renewables target by 2020. [44997/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFirstly, as the Deputy will know, responsibility for coordinating Ireland's position on climate policy rests with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.
Under the 2009 EU Effort-Sharing Decision (406/2009/EC), the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government advises that Ireland is on course to comply with annual emissions reduction targets for the compliance period of 2013 to 2016. However, in respect of the remaining years to 2020, a significant compliance challenge has been highlighted by the EPA.
There is an acute awareness of this challenge across sectors, not least by transport. As the Deputy will be aware, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill has almost completed its journey through the Houses. This legislation will create a statutory obligation to develop a National Mitigation Plan for Ireland, which will seek to put in place the necessary mitigation measures for meeting the long-term policy objectives of a low carbon economy by 2050. The first iteration of the Plan will place particular focus on identifying those measures needed to address the challenges arising from the second half of the compliance period, that is from 2017 to 2020.
In relation to renewables, a mandatory minimum target of 10% is in place for the contribution of renewable energy in transport by 2020. Good progress is being made towards achieving this target and, in 2014, a 5.2% level of renewables penetration was achieved in transport. The Biofuel Obligation Scheme will most likely be the primary mechanism for reaching the 2020 target with some renewables expected to come from the electrification of the car fleet. Policy related to renewable energy rests with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
