Environmental Indicators Ireland 2020

Environment taxes in Ireland amounted to €5.0 billion in 2019, up from €3.0 billion in 2000, but down from a peak of €5.2 billion in 2017.

Environment taxes as a percentage of total taxes at 6.5% in 2019 were the lowest over the 2000-2019 period.

Energy taxes accounted for 60% of total environment taxes in 2019, while transport taxes accounted for 39% of the total. Pollution and Resource taxes contributed less than 1% of total environment taxes in 2019.

Environment taxes accounted for 6.9% of Ireland’s total tax revenues in 2018. This was the 18^th highest percentage in the EU and above the EU average of 6.1%. Latvia had the highest environment tax share of total tax revenue in 2018 at 10.9%, while Luxembourg had the lowest share at 4.4%.

The Netherlands had the highest share of Pollution and Resource taxes in 2019 at 1.1% of total taxes, while Germany had the lowest at 0%. Ireland had the joint sixth lowest share of Pollution and Resources taxes at 0.04% of total taxes in 2019.

Environmental subsidies in Ireland reached €1.1 billion in 2018.

Transfers associated with the production of energy from renewable resources increased from 0% of all environmental transfers in 2000 to 35% in 2018. Transfers associated with wastewater management declined from 59% in 2000 to 21% in 2018, while those associated with the protection of biodiversity fell from 38% to 22% over this period.

Revenue raised by environment taxes exceeded expenditure on environment subsidies in Ireland over the 2000-2018 period. In 2018 environment subsidies were 22% of environment taxes.

The consumer price index for electricity in Ireland increased from 100 in December 2006 to 152.7 in 2019, higher than for any other energy product. In contrast, gas prices increased by 16.6% over the same period. The consumer price index for solid fuels increased by 37.3% between December 2006 and 2019.

Domestic extraction of resources in Ireland increased from 74.7 million tonnes in 1995 to 152.2 million tonnes in 2007, before falling to 69.1 million tonnes in 2011. In 2017 the figure had increased to 88.0 million tonnes.

Domestic material consumption (DMC) increased from 88.4 million tonnes in 1995 to 175.8 million tonnes in 2007, before falling to 88.3 million tonnes in 2011. In 2017 DMC had increased to 109.9 million tonnes.

Fish landings by Irish vessels in Irish ports varied between 149,200 tonnes (in 2008) and 249,200 tonnes (in 2012). In 2019 this figure was 173,900 tonnes.

Dwellings built in 2015-2020 were considerably more energy efficient than in earlier periods with 97% given an “A” building energy rating compared with 1% in 2005-2009.

In contrast the proportion of dwellings with an “F” or “G” building energy rating fell from 32% in dwellings constructed between 1700-1977 to 0% in 2015-2020.

The average domestic metered public water consumption per meter per day in 2017 was 359 litres. This was a 2.3% increase compared with the 2016 average of 351 litres.

In contrast to average consumption, the median consumption per meter per day in 2017 at 256 litres was 2.8% higher than the 2016 figure of 249 litres.

Total networked gas consumption in Ireland fell from 53,339 gigawatt hours in 2011 to 47,167 in 2014 before rising to 57,744 gigawatt hours in 2019.

Power plants accounted for 58% of total networked gas consumption in 2019 compared with 30% by the non-residential sector and 13% by the residential sector.

The volume of excise clearances for autodiesel was 3.7 billion litres in 2019 up 85% from 2.0 billion litres in 2000.

In contrast, marked gas oil clearances fell by 32% from 1.6 billion litres in 2000 to 1.1 billion litres in 2019.

The volume of excise clearances for unleaded petrol declined by 47% over the 2000-2019 period.