Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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630. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to electrify public transport services; his plans to reduce the carbon intensity of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14613/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Measures being considered to reduce the carbon intensity of transport to form Ireland's transport sectorial GHG emissions mitigation plan will be wide-ranging and will focus on modal shift, switching to alternative fuels and behavioural change.  Public transport projects and investment will form part of this multifaceted response to mitigation from the transport sector. To date, considerable progress has been achieved through measures aimed at promoting improved technologies and changing travel behaviour. With regard to Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, a range of energy efficiency measures, including eco-driving, bus and network priority programmes and fleet replacement, have delivered significant fuel savings.  Irish Rail has also introduced a range of measures, including train configuration changes and traction control software on the DART network. The DART electric rail system has been in operation from Greystones to Howth and Portmarnock since 1983,and was extended to Malahide in 2000.  A further expansion of the DART is planned as far as Balbriggan on the Northern line, Maynooth on the Sligo Line and Hazelhatch on the Kildare line.  We are also committed to the further development of electric fuelled public transport, particularly along the high demand routes in the GDA, e.g. the completion of the Luas Cross City project expanding the electrified LUAS network and planning for new Metro North, construction of which is due to commence in 2021.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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631. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he is taking to ensure that the transport sector achieves its 2020 emissions reductions targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14614/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​In order for Ireland to effectively and equitably contribute to the EU emissions reduction commitments, an ambitious low-carbon development strategy is being developed.My Department is working closely with the new Department  of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources (DCCCNR), the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Department of Agriculture to prepare this National Mitigation Plan.The Plan will reflect the overall aims of the National Policy Position on climate action and low carbon development, published in April 2014 which envisages that its development will be guided by a long-term vision of low carbon transition.  Specific focus is being placed on the sectorial areas of electricity generation, the built environment, agriculture and transport.  The responsibility for emissions reduction is, of course, a collective one and Ireland's 2020 emission reduction targets are national and not sectorial in nature.  When all sectorial inputs have been co-ordinated, the draft mitigation plan will be available for extensive public consultation before being submitted for approval to Government.Transport will of course have to play a significant role on the national mitigation effort.  The measures under consideration for transport will be wide-ranging and will focus on modal shift, movement to alternative fuels and targeted behavioural change. To date, considerable progress has been achieved through measures aimed at promoting improved technologies and changing travel behaviour.

To better inform and contextualise the preparation of the transport sectorial elements of the Plan and contribute to key policy considerations within the transport sector, my Department undertook a wide-ranging consultation exercise early in 2014.  Work is well underway on developing various measures considered therein and proposed in responses with a view to agreeing a cross sectorial approach that prioritises the steps to be taken.

See the link for details.

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