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EU Directives

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2019

Tuesday, 18 June 2019

Ceisteanna (531)

Peter Burke

Ceist:

531. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the recast renewable energy Directive will be transposed into law; if it will be part of his forthcoming strategy to tackle climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25083/19]

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Freagraí scríofa

The Climate Action Plan, published on Monday this week, includes the following renewable energy actions:

- Move to 70% renewable electricity by 2030;

- Establish a new Micro-generation Scheme, allowing homeowners to generate their own electricity and sell what they don't use back to the national grid, and support increased community participation in renewable generation;

- Bring 950,000 electric vehicles onto our roads, deliver a nationwide charging network, consideration in 2020 of a car-scrappage scheme to promote the purchase of electric vehicles and legislation to ban the sale of petrol/diesel cars from 2030;

- Deliver an intensive programme of retrofitting to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes and businesses, replacing the existing carbon-intensive heating systems;

- Deliver a new Retrofit Plan to retrofit 500,000 homes, with large groups of houses being retrofitted by the same contractor to reduce costs, smart finance, and easy pay back methods;

- Mandate public bodies to prioritise climate action and new letters of expectation will issue to semi-state bodies on Climate Action.

The Climate Action Plan is available on my Department’s website: www.dccae.gov.ie.

The Plan sets out the necessary policy measures to help meet our 2030 targets, cut our reliance on fossil fuels and put Ireland on a clear pathway to meeting our 2050 objectives.

In November 2016 as part of the Clean Energy Package, the European Commission published a proposal for a recast Directive on the promotion of renewable energy sources thus providing a framework for renewable energy development to 2030. This new regulatory framework will pave the way for Europe's transition towards clean energy sources utilising various renewable technologies.

In June 2018, the Renewable Energy Directive was agreed at EU level and includes a binding renewable energy target for the Union of 32% by 2030. Member States must transpose the Directive into national legislation by 30 June 2021.

Ireland’s contribution to this target will be informed by the development of Ireland’s first integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). In accordance with the Governance Regulation, Ireland’s draft NECP was submitted to the Commission in December 2018. The Governance Regulation consolidates the existing patchwork of planning, monitoring and reporting obligations Member States have under EU legislation across energy, climate and related policy areas.

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