Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

595. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which he plans to ensure that, in developing proposals for carbon pricing, the impact on low-income groups and those facing greater challenges adapting are factored in under the Climate Action Plan 2019; the action number in the plan under which this will be managed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26465/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Action 8 in the Climate Action Plan commits the Government to implementing a carbon tax rate of at least €80 per tonne by 2030 and to carrying out a full assessment of a trajectory of increases over successive annual Budgets. The Plan also commits to examining the potential impacts of this commitment on low-income and rural households, and those experiencing fuel poverty, as well as broader distributional impacts.

In this context, the Department of Finance is currently consulting on the options for the use of revenues raised from increases in carbon tax and has set out a number of options in this regard, including options to address the potential impact on low income groups and households most vulnerable to fuel poverty.