Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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547. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the recommendations of the Department of Finance on internalisation of GHG emissions in cost-benefit analysis are being used in the revision of the common appraisal framework guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2572/19]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The cost of Greenhouse Gas emissions in the Common Appraisal Framework for Transport Projects and Programmes are based on those set out in the Public Spending Code, which are based on the 2008 findings and recommendations of an interdepartmental Working Group reporting to the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. An updated version of the Public Spending Code is currently under development by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is planned to include revisions to a number of parameters, including the valuation of Greenhouse Gas emissions. Officials from my Department have engaged with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as part of this process of revisions and updates to the Public Spending Code and its associated parameters.

It is the intention of my Department to update the Common Appraisal Framework in 2019. As part of this update, any changes in relevant parameters of the Public Spending Code will be reflected. This will include any updates which are made to the cost of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions which are considered as part of the Cost Benefit Analysis process for transport projects.