Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The figures are deeply disappointing. It is clear from the EPA's report that we face an enormous challenge to meet our 2030 targets. Energy policies already announced should mean a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030. There will be increases of 7% in the area of housing, 17% in transport and 6% in agriculture. We have to look specifically at each of these areas now. In the transport sector diesel is a huge problem for us. It is broken down into several challenges, including commercial freight. Last week I launched the first CNG filling station in Ennis for Clean Ireland. Some 80 such filling stations will be rolled out across the country. We have to consider CNG as a transition fuel to biofuels. City travel is another challenge. As part of the first ever clean air strategy that we hope to publish soon, we are considering a system similar to that which will be introduced today in Hamburg which imposes a ban on older diesel cars in the city centre. We have to look at mechanisms to drive the changes we need to make if we are to reach our 2030 targets.

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