Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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678. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of atmospheric emissions generated by the Dublin Bus fleet; his plans to bring forward proposals to reduce emissions across the fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37650/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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According to the most recent (2016) estimates from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, only around 3% of all transport-derived CO2 emissions come from our bus, coach and SPSV fleets. It is not possible to extract emissions specifically pertaining to Dublin Bus fleets from this figure; it is, however, clear that it represents a very limited proportion of total transport carbon emissions.

Nevertheless, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from PSO fleets remains a priority for my Department. As the Deputy is aware, the National Development Planhas committed us to no longer buy diesel-only buses for the urban public bus fleet from July 2019, including, of course, the Dublin Bus fleet, and work is already underway on preparing for implementation of this transition. Together with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and key urban transport operators (Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann), my Department has begun planning an up-to-date and comprehensive set of bus trials to commence this year, with the objective of helping to further inform purchasing decisions for new buses over the coming years.

Analysis of the suitability of different fuelling options for urban bus fleets is a complex issue and must consider a range of diverse factors. The data derived from the trials will build upon and complement information from trials and demonstrations of lower-emitting buses undertaken in other jurisdictions across Europe and further afield, providing us with a better picture of how these technologies operate in the Irish context. This will allow us to ensure the continued provision of efficient and cost-effective public transport services and support modal shift in an increasingly sustainable way.

It should also be noted that the oldest and most polluting buses (Euro III- and Euro IV-classes) in the PSO fleets have been incrementally replaced with cleaner and greener Euro VI-class buses as part of the ongoing fleet renewal programme. Those older vehicles still remaining in the fleet will naturally be the first to be replaced as we transition towards lower-emitting alternative fuels and technologies with resulting reductions of both air quality pollutants and CO2 emissions.