Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the introduction of carbon tax and whether it has reduced the sales of peat-related fuels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16694/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The introduction of Carbon Tax was about sending a price signal that there is a cost associated with the consumption of fossil fuels to the detriment of the environment. In this regard solid fuels have the highest carbon content of all fossil fuels.

The Revenue Commissioners, who have responsibility for the collection of solid fuel carbon tax, advise me that, since its introduction on 1 May 2013, tax receipts for peat-related fuel products for the period of May to December 2013 and the period of January to December 2014, amounted to €1,479,678 and €4,291,892, respectively. Tax receipts for coal related products for 2013 and 2014 amounted to €5,625,248 and €13,186,765, respectively. The increase in tax receipts in 2014 reflects the increase in the rate of solid fuel carbon tax on 1st May 2014 from €10 per tonne of CO2 emitted to €20 per tonne of CO2 emitted.

The Commissioners advise me that they are unable to provide an assessment of the impact of the tax on sales of peat- related fuels. However, in light of the forecast by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in 2010, that the use of peat as an energy source would continue to decline in the period to 2020, the Commissioners expect that sales of peat-related products have reduced in the period since the tax was introduced and will continue to decline. The SEAI energy forecast report is available at the following link: