Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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32. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for the oldest and most polluting lorries to help hauliers transition to more environmentally friendly engines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46318/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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There are currently several Government supports in place to help decarbonise the heavy-duty sector and to assist in the reduction of carbon emissions. My Department launched the Alternatively-Fuelled Heavy-Duty Vehicle Purchase Grant Scheme in March 2021, which partly funds the purchase of new alternatively fuelled large vans, trucks, buses and coaches. Funding of €3m was allocated to the Scheme this year and it is expected that the scheme will once again be funded in 2023. Ireland also has the Low Emission Vehicle Toll Incentive which offers toll discounts for alternatively-fuelled vehicles.

With regard to a scrappage scheme for the older vehicles the European Green Deal includes a specific commitment for the removal of subsidies for fossil fuels at the national level. Financial support for the uptake of EURO VI and EURO VII diesel trucks is not consistent with that commitment and it is not likely to be possible to progress such a Scheme in line with EU State Aid rules.

However, the Government is committed to increasing the use of biofuels as a means to support emissions reductions for diesel vehicles. Under the Biofuels Obligation Scheme a percentage of the motor fuel in Ireland is obligated to be produced from renewable sources. On 21 January 2022, this percentage was increased from 12.359% to 14.942% by volume. It is intended to raise this percentage to 20% biodiesel by 2030, a move which will help to significantly reduce emissions from the haulage sector.

The Programme for Government includes a commitment to publish a ten-year strategy for the haulage sector. This strategy will focus on generating efficiencies, improving standards, and helping the sector move to a low-carbon future and will be published before the end of the year.