COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 11, 2019

MOTION NO. 3

MOTION: Councillor M. Johansson

This Council agrees that carbon tax is not the answer to tackle climate change. Carbon tax is a regressive tax. It targets the wrong people and does not challenge the real cause of carbon emissions. This Council calls for a stoppage of any implementation of a new carbon tax and calls for immediate action on investment in renewable energy, public transport and a stop to licences issued to extract fossil fuels. 

REPORT:

Prior to Budget 2020 Ireland applied a carbon tax of €20 per tonne of carbon emitted through the direct use of fossil fuels - oil, petrol, diesel and gas in heating homes and businesses or running cars and trucks.

The Irish Government increased the level of the carbon tax in the 2020 Budget by €6 to €26 per tonne, as a first step in the Government's commitment of increasing the price of carbon from €20 to €80 a tonne by 2030. This increase will not apply to home heating until after the winter period.

Ireland is also part of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), a cap and trade system that sets an overall cap on emissions from power stations and industrial plants throughout the EU. Each power station or industrial plant in the EU receives a number of free emissions credits. They must either stay within their allocation or else purchase credits from other facilities. This incentivises operators to reduce emissions.

If this motion is agreed a letter will issue to the relevant minister and the reply, when received, will be circulated.