Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

208. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the annual payment by his Department to the climate action fund scheme, as required by virtue Circular 01/2020 (D/PER), broken down by trip, in each of the past five years and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [4960/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, under Circular 01/2020 issued by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, my Department is required to record the carbon emissions associated with all official flights made within a calendar year, and to pay a corresponding amount into the Climate Action Fund, based on the prevailing rate of carbon tax (€48.50 per tonne in 2023).

The following table sets out the number of flights, carbon tonnes and carbon offset payments for each year from 2020 (when payments were introduced), up to end of January 2025. The flights listed are in respect of travel by Ministers and officials from my Department as well as repatriation flights.

Note: regarding 2024 and 2025, as the offset rates have not yet been notified, no calculation of the amount due has been made.

** Carbon Offset not calculated as new annual rate not yet provided by DECC.