Written answers
Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Official Travel
Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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486. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide data associated with her Department’s air travel and air travel associated with agencies under the aegis of her Department (details supplied) from 1 January 2020 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4255/23]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department follows the mandatory procedures and methodology outlined in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 01/2020, which states that, with effect from 1 January 2020, all Government Departments, Offices and Agencies are required to record, monitor, and value greenhouse gas emissions associated with official air travel and to make an annual payment to the statutory Climate Action Fund for these emissions for the preceding year.
A breakdown of the air travel data for 2020, 2021 and 2022 for my Department and the public bodies under its aegis is set out in tabular form below.
| Air travel data 2020 | DSP 2020 | Pensions Authority 2020 | Citizens Information Board 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of flights | 28 round trips | 4 round trips | NIL |
| Distance in kms | 48,066 | 26,994 | NIL |
| Tonnes of CO2 | 5.631 tonnes | 2 tonnes | NIL |
| Remittance due (based on carbon tax rate of €26 per tonne) | €146.41 | €52 | NIL |
| Air travel data 2021 | DSP 2021 | Pensions Authority 2021 | Citizens Information Board 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of flights | 3 round trips | NIL | NIL |
| Distance in kms | 3,098 | NIL | NIL |
| Tonnes of CO2 | 0.449 | NIL | NIL |
| Remittance due (based on carbon tax rate of €33.50 per tonne) | €15.04 | NIL | NIL |
| Air travel data 2022 | DSP 2022 | Pensions Authority 2022 | Citizens Information Board 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of flights | 90 round trips | 5 round trips | 2 round trips |
| Distance in kms | 315,449 km | 1,898 km | 1,904 km |
| Tonnes of CO2 | 29.117 | 1.1 | 0.354 |
| Remittance due (Awaiting 2022 carbon tax rate to be confirmed) | TBC | TBC | TBC |
The carbon tax rate for calculation of annual payments was determined as €26 per tonne of carbon in 2020 and €33.50 per tonne in 2021. Confirmation of the 2022 carbon tax rate is awaited. Upon receipt of this information from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, my Department will calculate the amount due and make the necessary payment for 2022 to the Climate Action Fund as mandated.
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