Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will indicate his position on the inclusion of air transport in the EU emissions trading system; if he or any Government colleague has discussed this matter with the Irish airlines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15736/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Aviation was included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) by virtue of the Aviation Directive 2008/101/EC which was adopted in November 2008 following very strong backing by the European Parliament and unanimous support by EU Member States. This Directive has been transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading) (Aviation) Regulations 2010.

The Aviation Directive extends the EU ETS to aviation activities and applies to all flights arriving at and departing from EU airports from 2012 onwards. There are some exemptions and these are identified in the Annex to the Directive and in Schedule 1 to the Regulations. The Regulations were drafted in consultation with aircraft operators assigned to Ireland, including Irish airlines. The EPA is the competent authority in the State for the purposes of the Regulations and the Directive. I understand that the EPA has had discussions on an ongoing basis with aircraft operators, including Irish airlines on implementation of the Regulations.