Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 December 2025
279. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Transport to provide the percentage calculation for the contribution to Ireland’s green house gas emissions from aviation; if this figure will be broken down by cargo, passenger and private aviation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70244/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has produced provisional estimates of greenhouse gas emissions for the time period 1990-2024. These provide insights into the annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) in advance of final data being submitted to the EU and UN in 2026.
I am informed by the EPA that:
International aviation emissions• in 2024 were 3,345 kilotonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Emissions from domestic aviation• in 2024 were 31.2 kilotonnes of CO2 equivalent.
• Current data available to the EPA does not permit splitting passenger and freight emission estimations.
It is important to note that emissions from international aviation are not counted as part of Ireland’s national total emissions, but are reported by Ireland to the UNFCCC and EU for information purposes. Further, a substantial proportion of Ireland’s international aviation emissions are included in the EU Emissions Trading System, such as all intra EU flights and flights within the European Economic Area (EEA) including Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
More broadly, the global approach to decarbonisation of the industry is based on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ‘basket of measures’ which identifies four pillars from which reductions are to be realised. These are aircraft technology improvements, operational improvements, the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), and a global market-based measure known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.
At a European level, Ireland continues to support the EU’s “Fit for 55 Package” which aims to facilitate a minimum net 55% EU greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030. Furthermore, there are a number of EU regulations and directives in place that are aimed at reducing aviation emissions. This includes the aforementioned EU Emissions Trading System, and the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation which places an obligation on aviation fuel suppliers to supply an increasing share of aviation fuel blended with SAF at European Union airports and requires airlines to increase uptake of SAF in predefined incremental steps.
At a national level, our airports are also taking steps to reduce their environmental impact. These measures contribute to an overall reduction in the carbon footprint of aviation, extending sustainability efforts beyond the aircraft and fuel, to include the entire aviation ecosystem.
Finally, of the ICAO 'basket of measures', it is widely acknowledged that the deployment of SAFs will play the greatest role in decarbonising the aviation sector in the short to medium term.
I am pleased to note that my Department published Ireland’s first Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy Roadmap on the 21st of August 2025, fulfilling a clear commitment in the Programme for Government. To assist in the development of the Roadmap, the Department of Transport established the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Task Force in December of 2023, bringing together key stakeholders with responsibility for, and interest in, policy development and implementation in relation to SAF.
With the assistance of the Task Force and an extensive series of wider bilateral meetings, the Roadmap represents an important first step in developing Ireland’s national SAF policy, identifying a number of actions which will be built upon in future iterations, and setting a path for future SAF policy development.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy Roadmap is available at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/publications/sustainable-aviation-fuel-task-force/
