Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

74. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he proposes to introduce a ban on the installation of new oil and gas boilers in existing homes as early as 2025; the way this will work in practice for homeowners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47663/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Energy Security Framework (NESF) provides a single overarching and initial response to address Ireland’s energy security needs in the context of the war in Ukraine. It coordinates work connected to energy security across the electricity, gas and oil sectors and sets out a ‘whole-of-Government’ response to the challenges posed to energy security and energy affordability. The Framework takes into account the need to decarbonise our society and economy as set out in recent reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Ireland’s targets to reduce emissions by 51% over the decade to 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050 as set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021.

Under Response 17 of the NESF, the Government committed to building on the detailed sectoral analysis of the National Heat Study to develop proposals for regulatory options to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels for space and water heating in all new buildings, with limited exemptions such as industrial processes.  This reflects the ambitions already set out Action 183 of the Climate Action Plan 2021.

The National Heat Study, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in February 2022, is a comprehensive analysis of the options for reaching net zero emissions from the heating sector by 2050 and contains the detailed analysis that will inform the development of options, policies and measures to decarbonise the heating and cooling sectors to 2050. All options are currently under consideration, including the requirement to ensure a just transition to any alternative heat sources. As a consequence, there has been no commitment made thus far by Government to phase out oil and gas boilers in existing homes by 2025.