Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he was consulted in advance of a decision (details supplied) to abandon a legislated emissions reduction plan; if he proposes any new domestic emissions reduction strategies within his own Department in order to help achieve the long term goal of a reduction of 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland by 2030 set by the previous Government; if not, if his attention has been drawn to any plans to make alternative domestic proposals in the absence of a legislated emissions reduction plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33446/11]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has not abandoned the objective of underpinning national climate policy with legislation. His position is clearly set out in the reply to various written questions on 2nd November 2011, including Question No. 257, in which he states:

"My immediate priority is to finalise a review of national climate policy in the light of existing and anticipated national greenhouse gas mitigation targets up to 2020. The review will be made available on my Department's website in the coming days (published Thursday 3rd) and will provide the background for future policy development.

It is my objective, in line with the Programme for Government, to introduce climate legislation within the lifetime of this Government. As indicated in the Government legislation programme, published on 14 September 2011, I expect that it will be 2012 at the earliest before any legislation can be published, taking account of the need also to progress the broader climate policy agenda under the aegis of the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and the Green Economy."

Beyond 2012, when the current commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol has expired, the binding greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets which Ireland must meet under EU law relate to the period 2013-2020. Overall, the level of mitigation to be achieved by 2020 equates approximately to 20% below 2005 levels the achievement of which will represent a major challenge.

With regard to how the transport sector is addressing this challenge, I would note that Greenhouse Gas Emissions from this sector have been declining in recent years and I understand that the latest estimates show that they have fallen by about 14% from their 2007 peak in the last three years. While much of the reduction in emissions much of this, unfortunately, can be attributed to the decline in economic activity, specific measures such as the changed motor tax system, mobility management schemes, and the biofuels obligation all yield emissions savings on an annual basis.End of Take