Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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196. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which emission reductions are likely to be achieved by way of alternative methods of electricity generation in the future; how this is likely to impact on achieving the target; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20165/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland has made considerable progress in decarbonising our electricity sector over the last decade, with a major reason for this being the construction of renewable generation sources and their successful integration onto the electricity grid. The recently published Climate Action Plan 2023 includes the following targets:

- Target 6 GW of onshore wind and up to 5GW of solar by 2025;

- 80% of electricity demand to come from renewable sources by 2030;

- Target 9 GW onshore wind, 8 GW solar, and at least 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030 (and an additional 2 GW offshore wind for green hydrogen production);

- Support at least 500 MW of local community-based renewable energy projects and increased levels of new micro-generation and small-scale generation.

The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is one of the major Government policies to help deliver renewable electricity generation. RESS 1 led to 2022 being a record year for renewable grid connections. RESS 2 is expected to deliver an increase of nearly 20% in Ireland’s renewable electricity generation by 2025. RESS 3 will be held this year.

A Small-Scale Generation Scheme (SSGS) is also in development and is expected to become available later this year.

Ireland has considerable, but as of yet undeveloped, offshore renewable energy potential. The first Offshore Renewable Energy Auction (ORESS) is currently underway, and expected to procure approximately 2.5GW of capacity. Final results of this auction process are expected by end-June.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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198. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which Ireland's emissions have been reduced in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20167/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The final 1990-2021 inventory data, updated by the Environmental Protection Agency this month, indicates that between 2011 and 2021, Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 5.5%, from 58.85 Mt CO₂eq. to 62.11 Mt CO₂eq. While emissions in 2021 were lower than the peak years of 2016 - 2018, they did show an increase from 2020.

It is clear that we must redouble our efforts to reduce emissions in line with the Government's agreed Sectoral Emissions Ceilings. Climate Action Plan 2023, and the associated Annex of Actions, set out a roadmap for meeting our emissions targets.

To reverse the current trajectory of emissions and meet our targets, Climate Action Plan 2023 considers how we can accelerate the measures and actions that will not only reduce our emissions but will also support new ways of conducting business and encouraging innovation, by putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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199. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he can ensure that measures to address carbon emissions do not damage the productive agricultural and manufacturing sectors here; if best practice in other jurisdictions to meet such requirements can be followed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20168/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development 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. Following the process set out in the Act, a carbon budget programme proposed by the Climate Change Advisory Council was adopted by the Oireachtas on 6 April 2022. On 28 July 2022, the Government approved Sectoral Emission Ceilings for both the first and second carbon budget periods, (i.e. 2021-2025 and 2026-2030), with the exception the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, which will be determined later.

There is target for a 25% emissions reduction for our agriculture sector by 2030. The Climate Action Plan 2023, published in December 2022, outlined how emission reductions would be achieved in this sector in the coming years, which involves offering farmers the means to reduce carbon emissions at farm level by becoming more carbon efficient, while also diversifying toward the production of energy and less carbon intensive practices such as organic farming.

In the meantime, my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continue to collaborate on reducing our carbon emissions, while also ensuring the security and sustainability of our food production. This is a key opportunity for Ireland to become a world leader in long-term sustainable food production. I remain confident that our family farms will fully exploit the opportunities of this transition without compromising on sustainable food production.

To address emissions in manufacturing my Department has engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the sectoral emissions ceiling for industry. This included further reviews of measures set by Climate Action Plan 2023 to ensure that they can deliver the emissions reductions required by the sectoral emissions ceilings and meet other requirements, such as technical feasibility and cost effectiveness in terms of their wider economic impacts. We are also working with our State Agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices to provide advisory and financial supports for low-carbon technologies.