Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. As she is aware, responsibility for co-ordinating Ireland's position on climate policy rests with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Under the 2009 EU effort-sharing decision, 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 is currently progressing through the Dáil.  It will create a statutory obligation to develop a national mitigation plan for Ireland which will seek to put in place the necessary mitigation measures to meet the long-term policy objectives of transitioning to 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. My Department's contribution to the plan is currently being developed and, in keeping with commitments under the Aarhus Convention, my officials expect to invite stakeholders to a consultative workshop on the transport element of the plan in the coming weeks.

In terms of non-compliance costs, the comprehensive expenditure report 2015 to 2017 sets out three-year expenditure ceilings for each ministerial Vote group.

All spending decisions must be cognisant of these limits within the wider context of the new fiscal structures being put in place at a European level through reforms to the Stability and Growth Pact. Mitigation is a cross-sectoral issue that will require a whole-of-government approach in tackling some very complex matters between now and 2020.

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