Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 February 2022
47. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Taoiseach the amount and value of fossil fuel subsidies paid by the State in 2020 and 2021; the proportion of that expenditure that applies to the exemption of jet kerosene used for commercial flights from excise duty; and the proportion resulting from other subsidies. [9450/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CSO publishes an annual statistical release on Fossil Fuel Subsidies. The 2019 release was published in March 2021 and the 2020 release will be published in April 2022.
In 2019, fossil fuel subsidies were estimated by the CSO at €2.4 billion. The exemption from Excise Duty and Carbon Tax of jet kerosene used for international and domestic commercial flights was estimated as €634.2 million in 2019. This was 27% of total fossil fuel subsidies with the remaining 73% comprising subsidies relating mainly to consumption of fossil fuels for other purposes.
While the CSO has not yet published the 2020 release, a very significant decrease in sales of jet kerosene for commercial flights in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a corresponding decrease in the jet kerosene exemption subsidy in 2020.
