Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I thank Senator Lynn Boylan for raising this topic.

The EPA is responsible for compiling the inventories of greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland and for reporting data to the relevant European and international institutions. As such, Ireland's legal reporting obligations require that the agency submits data to the European Commission and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.The emissions data are compiled using methodologies in accordance with UNFCCC reporting guidelines and are disaggregated on a sectoral basis in alignment with the classification used by it for reporting at UN level, although some adjustments are made for ease of comparison with national policies in different countries.

The EPA's greenhouse gas emissions reporting also plays an essential role in the reporting and delivery processes that guide our climate action by informing our progress against a number of key emission reduction targets, specifically those set out by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, the carbon budgets and the sectoral emission ceilings, as well as against our emission reduction commitments under the EU's effort sharing regulation. The EPA's reporting also provides valuable information regarding the source of our emissions and how various factors impact the emissions across different sectors of our economy.

Providing a breakdown of Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions by income decile or some other wealth metric is not available from the data collated and published by the EPA. That is fundamental to the issue being raised here today. However, there is significant work being undertaken to assess the economic, distributional and socioeconomic impacts of climate change in Ireland, including research and analysis from the EPA. We will continue to support and encourage research and analysis that helps to inform our understanding of Ireland's emissions and their impacts on different sectors of our society and assists in the development of climate action policies that address these impacts.

Moreover, the Government has adopted, through the Climate Action Plan 2023, a framework for a just transition to support and inform climate action policy and implementation. The framework comprises four principles: an integrated, structured, and evidence-based approach to identify and plan our response to just climate transition requirements; people being equipped with the right skills to be able to participate in and benefit from the future net-zero economy; the costs being shared so that the impact is equitable and existing inequalities are not exacerbated; and social dialogue to ensure impacted citizens and communities are empowered and are core to the transition process.

As set out in the plan, all relevant Ministers should consider this framework in the process of climate action policy formulation and implementation so policies are informed by the need to ensure a just transition. This includes creating sustainable employment opportunities, providing reskilling and retraining opportunities and providing appropriate supports for those most vulnerable as part of Ireland's transition to a climate-neutral economy.

It should be noted that the carbon tax is one of many policies in place aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Over the period 2021-30, planned carbon tax increases may allow for €9.5 billion in additional revenue which will support €5 billion for the national residential retrofit plan, which is a socially progressive programme with specific schemes for low-income households and local authority homes; €1.5 billion for new schemes that will encourage greener and more sustainable farming practices; and €3 billion in funding to ensure that increases in carbon tax are progressive by supporting targeted social welfare payment increases to address fuel poverty and provide for a just transition.