Written answers

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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559. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the steps he will take to reduce greenhouse gases in view of the fact that 19.8% of 2015 greenhouse gas emissions were caused by public transport. [42867/17]

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Greenhouse gas emissions for the entire transport sector in 2015 amounted to 19.8% of total Irish emissions in 2015. The SEAI estimates that less than 5% of transport emissions came from the public transport fleet in 2015 (buses, rail and taxis). It is reliance on private car travel that represents the most considerable challenge, producing over 50% of overall transport emissions.

Moving to a low carbon society represents a significant challenge for Ireland’s expanding transport sector where the use of fossil fuels and individual travel patterns are firmly established. Decarbonising transport will require a significant step-change in how we travel, how we do business and the types of fuels and technologies we employ.

To date, a number of successful measures have already been introduced to reduce transport sector emissions including: sustained investment in the public and sustainable transport network to increase capacity and promote modal shift; implementation of EU regulations limiting tail pipe emissions; redesigning the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) and motor tax regimes to promote low carbon emitting vehicles; incentives to encourage alternative fuel and technologies; and the introduction of a Biofuel Obligation Scheme. Furthermore, under the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government a dedicated Low Emission Vehicle Taskforce was established to consider the range of measures and options available to Government to accelerate the uptake of alternatively powered vehicles.

The transport sector must and will continue to play a strong role in contributing to our national emissions reduction effort. Ireland's welcome return to economic growth has brought with it an increase in transport demand and, without intervention, transport emissions will unquestionably continue to rise. The transport sector is faced with the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions without hindering social improvement or financial recovery.

To decarbonise transport a diverse range of measures is required, key among them being increasing public transport capacity, promoting sustainable travel and modal shift, and encouraging the uptake and deployment of cleaner alternative fuels and technologies. This is reflected in the wide-ranging set of transport mitigation measures included in the National Mitigation Plan and it is anticipated that these measures will develop further as climate research and technological innovations progress.

In suitable urban areas I am strongly committed to meeting increasing travel demand through enhanced public transport capacity and encouraging more cycling and walking journeys - knows as "active travel" - and, within the context of the Government's budgetary policy and competing expenditure needs, I am working to be able to invest more in such infrastructure and services over time.

Outside urban areas - where dependence on private cars is strongest and where systems of public transport and active travel offer less realistic potential to addressing travel needs effectively and efficiently - a different solution must be sought, and here alternative fuels and technologies currently offer the most feasible and cost-effective answer.

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