Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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13. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the precise targets and reduction measurement proposals his Department is proposing to mitigate harmful emissions to address the significant shortcomings in the transport sector that are projected, a 22% increase over the 2011 to 2020 period; if his Department has set in place any indicative targets for the profile of domestic fuel use for petrol, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, fuel oil, jet kerosene and renewables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23483/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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​As the Deputy will be aware, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill creates a statutory obligation to develop a National Mitigation Plan for Ireland.  In anticipation of the legislation, my Department has already commenced work on preparing the transport contribution to the Plan. Furthermore, in keeping with commitments under the Aarhaus Convention, my officials recently held an information exchange with stakeholders and interested parties on the measures being considered by the Department.

These measures have emerged as part of a longer consultative process that began last year and represent a multi-faceted approach to cost-effective mitigation in transport.  The suite of measures currently being examined has a particular focus on policy development, smarter travel and modal shift, supports for alternative fuels and certain fiscal and taxation incentives to target behavioural change.  

In terms of a future fuel profile for Ireland, the Minister of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has responsibility for energy policy generally, which includes fuel supply and security issues as well as policy on renewable energy for Ireland.  The latest publication of the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan  estimates that 50,000 electric vehicles could be in circulation by 2020.  In addition, the draft Bioenergy Plan recommends the continuation of the Biofuels Obligation Scheme, which will be the principal means of ensuring that 10% of the energy in the transport sector in 2020 is from renewable sources.

Both national and EU policy provides for growth in the alternative fuels market to 2020.  In order to support the policy for long-term oil substitution, and in line with the recently adopted EU Directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure, my Department is currently preparing a National Policy Framework to support the alternative fuels market in Ireland.  My Department expects to widen the consultation process on this Framework to the general public by the end of this year.