Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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158. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way he is approaching the framing of sectoral carbon budgets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9460/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 commits Ireland to a legally binding target of a climate neutral economy no later than 2050 and a reduction in emissions of 51% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. As part of an enhanced governance framework to reach this target, the Act also sets out the processes and timelines for settling the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings. Once the economy-wide carbon budget programme has been approved by the Government and both Houses of the Oireachtas, I will prepare proposed sectoral emissions ceilings for Government consideration and approval.

This work will take as its starting point the sectoral emissions reduction ranges agreed in the 2021 Climate Action Plan, and will involve intense engagement with all relevant sectoral Ministers and their Departments. It will be supported by rigorous analysis and evaluation, including in relation to total system cost; feasibility; socioeconomic impact; contribution to other sustainability goals; and the ability of to serve as s stepping stone to achieve our 2050 target.

I intend to take a proposal in relation to sectoral emissions ceilings to Government by the end of Q2 this year.