Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will ask a couple of specific questions, after which I will return to one of the wider ones. On the reporting mechanisms, Ministers previously had to report individually to the Oireachtas on how they were achieving their targets. This seems to have been amalgamated into a single session. Are there plans to return to a position where each Minister reported? This would allow for more detailed scrutiny of the delivery of sectoral targets.

I mentioned the EPA and measuring tonnages. We have had conversations on percentages. It is useful to have this grid in respect of tonnages and I wonder about measuring the tonnage impact of various things. Within that, what are the Minister’s specific thoughts on the built environment, residential and commercial? Those are two of the sectoral ceilings. The EPA currently measures the energy usage of buildings whereas a report from academics in UCD and elsewhere on whole-life carbon in construction and the environment shows that a very large amount of emissions, possibly over 30%, comes through construction. In Ireland, we have necessarily a great deal of construction planned because we have to deliver housing and the national development plan. How are the megatonnes of emissions involved in construction and the whole-life piece, from materials through to demolition, being factored in and measured to ensure they stay within the budgets and sectoral ceilings that are set? I am asking not about fuel usage but the construction and demolition process.

To return to LULUCF, the Climate Change Advisory Council, in the research and reports it has given to the Minister and the Oireachtas, has been clear that tree planting now will be very relevant to the budget period from 2030 to 2035 but will not be countable for these budgets because the legislation makes clear that the maximum amounts of greenhouse gases emissions are to be within the limits of the carbon budget during a budget period. We are talking about the 2020 to 2025 and 2025 to 2030 periods. While it is fine to look at what happens in 2030, I seek clarity that the answers that will come back from the new LULUCF analysis will be on carbon emission reductions and limiting carbon emissions within the relevant budget periods rather than future promises?

The concern with the idea of future science is that while it may be relevant for the future, it is not necessarily relevant for these budgets. I have not been satisfied with the answer given. The Minister’s obligation under section 6C(1) of the Act is to prepare within the limits of the carbon budget the maximum amount of greenhouse gas emissions permitted in different sections of the economy during a budget period. The Minister has prepared a maximum amount of greenhouse gas emissions for sectors which is not within the limits of the carbon budget.

On the LULUCF, I ask for clarity on forestry. Senator Pauline O’Reilly made a good point in that we know that peatlands can potentially make a difference within the budget period.

If we are getting this report in 2024, is the Minister confident that the LULUCF share of emissions within that budget period will be 20 megatonnes or less? If not, what is the plan for 2024 because all of these other sectors are making plans, signing contracts and committing to programmes of work based on the allocated ceilings they have now? What happens if something emerges where LULUCF may be greater than 20 megatonnes when we receive that report in 2024? What is the emergency plan?