Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the measures being taken to offset the effects of climate change with particular reference to the encouragement of the use of non fossil fuels in the domestic heating sector, road transport and agriculture; the extent to which the use of reliable alternatives are being encouraged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14266/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I refer to the replies to Question Nos. 34 and 41 on today's Order Paper. In line with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015, I am required to prepare and submit a National Mitigation Plan to Government for approval no later than 10 June this year. This will be the first in a series of successive National Mitigation Plans which will set out, on an ongoing basis, Ireland's strategy to transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by the end of 2050.  The first National Mitigation Plan is being prepared on the basis that it will be a whole-of-Government plan, reflecting in particular,the central roles of key Ministers responsible for the sectors covered by the Plan - Electricity Generation, the Built Environment, Transport and Agriculture, Forest and Land Use. As required under the 2015 Act, each Minister with responsibility for these sectors has been requested by Government to develop the sectoral mitigation measures that he/she proposes to adopt.   

An important milestone in this work, and one required under the legislation, was reached last week when I published a draft of National Mitigation Plan for public consultation. This consultation will help inform further work in my own Department and across Government to finalise the Plan later this year. The consultation is an essential part of the process of public and stakeholder engagement on the challenges we face to meet our existing commitments and to begin the longer-term process of low carbon transition by 2050.  

The draft National Mitigation Plan sets out the opportunities and challenges for each of the key sectors in addition to specifying a range of mitigating options in place and under consideration. Measures already in place include the Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff Schemes,  Biofuels Obligation Scheme, Low Emission Vehicle incentivisation and National Policy on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport. The range of mitigating measures currently under consideration includes the development of a new support scheme for renewable electricity, a renewable heat incentive, increased penetration of renewable energy in the transport energy mix and further incentivisation of low emission vehicles. An opportunity for the Agriculture, Forest and Land Use sector to contribute to renewable energy was also identified and this includes biofuels being potentially produced from agricultural waste and for forest-based biomass and residues to be used to produce heat and/or power through combustion or anaerobic digestion. The draft Plan also highlights the need to prepare options for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies as a key cross-cutting action.

It is important to note that the first National Mitigation Plan represents an initial step to set us on a pathway to achieve the level of decarbonisation required by 2050. It does not provide a complete roadmap to achieve the 2050 objective, but rather is a work in progress reflecting the reality of where we are in our decarbonisation transition. When finalised, the Plan will become a living document, accessible on my Department's website, which is continually updated as on-going analysis, dialogue and technological innovation generate more and more cost-effective sectoral mitigation options. In addition, there will be the formal preparation of successive National Mitigation Plans at least once every five years as provided for in the 2015 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act.