Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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359. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide data associated with his Department’s air travel and air travel associated with agencies under the aegis of his Department (details supplied) from 1 January 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4248/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In January 2020, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform introduced mandatory new procedures for all Departments for offsetting the emissions associated with official air travel.

In line with these procedures, the Department records the carbon emissions associated with all official air travel, values these emissions based on the prevailing rate of Ireland’s domestic carbon tax in the relevant year and pays an amount equivalent to the travel emissions impact into the Climate Action Fund.

The payment for air travel in 2020 amounted to €17,833, based on CO2 emissions of 685.88 tonnes, calculated at that year’s rate of €26 per tonne of carbon generated.

The payment for air travel in 2021 amounted to €36,690, based on CO2 emissions of 1,095.21 tonnes, calculated at that year’s rate of €33.50 per tonne of carbon generated.

Data for air travel in 2022 is not yet available. The Department is currently gathering this data from business units, including our network of Missions overseas, with a view to complying with the deadline of 28 February for payments to the Climate Action Fund, as set out in Circular 01/2020.