Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019
889. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the number of diesel vehicles, both new and second hand, being imported from Britain and Northern Ireland having regard to the implications for greenhouse gas emission targets; the action he is taking to reduce the number of diesel cars in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54356/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of used cars imported into Ireland has grown significantly in recent years. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, EU legislation permits the free movement of goods (including new and used cars) between Member States, allowing European citizens greater consumer choice. Manufacturing standards for vehicles are also set at EU level and enforced on an EU-wide basis, meaning that similar rules apply to all vehicles used within the EU, regardless of their origin.
Over the past decade, the diesel-fuelled segment of Ireland's national vehicle fleet has grown. Among the traditional fuels for transport, diesel is more carbon-efficient than petrol as a means of fuelling vehicles, however, diesel is also associated with worsened air quality, which is concerning particularly in urban areas.
Therefore, a range of incentives are now in place - many of them introduced by this Government - to encourage consumers to transition from conventionally-fuelled higher-emitting petrol and diesel vehicles towards lower-emitting alternatively-fuelled vehicles.
A Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) Taskforce was established in 2016. It's first phase of work was on electricity as an alternative-fuel for transport, and the Taskforce's recommendations to Government ahead of Budgets 2018 and 2019 have resulted in a comprehensive suite of measures to incentivise the move to electric vehicles (EVs). The generous incentives on offer include:
- various grants such as the Purchase Grant Scheme, the Reduced Tolling Scheme and the Electric Small Public Service Vehicle Grant Scheme;
- tax incentives such as lower motor tax and VRT relief;
- commercial incentives such as a 0% Benefit-in-Kind rate and an Accelerated Capital Allowance Scheme for EVs and their related infrastructure.
These incentives are having results, with more than double the number of EVs on Irish roads by the end of 2018 than a year previously. The LEV Taskforce has now moved to a second phase of work looking beyond electricity at other alternative fuels and also looking at heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) with a view to continuing the move away from traditional fossil fuels such as diesel.
The manufacturing and efficiency standards for vehicles that are set at European level also play an important role in spurring industry to produce vehicles that are less emitting and more efficient. Working at EU level, Ireland continues to push strongly for better vehicle standards, seeking greater ambition in the various EU-wide regulations that ensure vehicles registered with the Union are increasingly more efficient and less emitting. It is through better technology and improved efficiency that carbon emissions generated by vehicles can be decoupled from increased economic activity and population growth.
Finally, the Deputy will also recall that my colleague, the Minister for Finance, announced in Budget 2019 that from 1 January 2019 a new 1% surcharge on VRT will be levied on all diesel cars that are newly-registered in the State; this will apply whether the newly-registered car is new or was previously used outside of the State.
