Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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150. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans for the attainment of the various targets in respect of climate change such as reduction on dependency on fossil fuels, carbon reduction, encouragement of the alternative energy sector and the maximisation of employment generating potential in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32289/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The 2014 National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development, which is underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, provides a high-level policy direction for the adoption and implementation by Government of plans to enable the State to move to a low-carbon economy by 2050. Latest Green House Gas emission projections by the Environmental Protection Agency, indicate that emissions by 2020 could be in the range of 6-11% below 2005 levels, thereby falling short of the EU target that emissions should be 20% below their value in 2005.   The focus of the first National Mitigation Plan will include putting in place the necessary measures to address the challenge to 2020.

The Energy White Paper, Ireland's Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future 2015-2030, published in December last, sets out a vision and a framework to guide Irish energy policy and the actions that Government intends to take in the energy sector from now up to 2030, aimed at transforming Ireland's fossil-fuel based energy sector into a clean, low carbon system by 2050.  

The 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive sets Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020.  Ireland is committed to achieving this target through meeting 40% of electricity demand, 12% of heat and 10% of transport from renewable sources of energy, with the latter transport target also being legally binding.  A range of support measures designed to meet our binding target has been adopted and although good progress has been made to date, meeting the 16% target remains challenging. Budget 2017 has provided over €100 million to support energy projects. This funding will be split between supporting the existing energy efficiency programmes and rolling out a series of new initiatives and pilots that can lay the foundation for increased investment in future years which will also support employment in the sector.

Figures from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for 2015 show that 9.1% of Ireland’s overall energy requirements were met from renewable sources. In addition, SEAI has calculated that 25.3% of electricity, 6.8% of heat and 5.7% of transport were met from renewable sources.  

The overarching objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure secure and sustainable supplies of competitively priced energy to all consumers.  

Funding of support schemes under the Public Service Obligation (PSO) Levy also supports employment in the renewable energy industry.