Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2016

This chapter looks at data from a new release, “Non-Domestic Building Energy Ratings” and the existing "Domestic Building Energy Ratings" release, both published quarterly by the CSO and based on data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Building Energy Rating (BER) scheme.

The chapter also contains statistics on aspects of Ireland’s Environmental Economy. The data on Economy-Wide Material Flow Accounts and Environment Taxes are compiled by the CSO in accordance with Eurostat requirements set out in Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011.

Dublin County has the highest percentage of "A" rated properties in the country (5%) with Kildare (3%) and both Meath and Wicklow (2%), while Roscommon has the highest percentage of "G" rated dwellings in those dwellings audited in the county (12%).

Four counties had a combined “A” and “B” rating of 20% or higher: Offaly (23%); Carlow and Laois (both 21%); and Kildare (20%). In contrast Limerick City at 7% and Leitrim at 8% had the lowest proportion of combined “A” and “B” ratings.

Environment taxes increased from €4.2 billion in 2011 to €4.9 billion in 2015. As a percentage of total taxes, environment taxes decreased from 8.7% in 2011 to 8.0% in 2015.

Energy taxes increased from €2.7 billion in 2011 to €3.0 billion in 2015. The share of energy tax as a percentage of total environment taxes was 64% in 2011. In 2015 the share decreased to 61%.

Transport taxes (mainly vehicle registration and motor taxes) increased from €1.4 billion in 2011 to €1.9 billion in 2015.

Pollution and resource taxes fell from €61 million in 2011 to €45 million in 2015.

The volume of total domestic extraction fell from 104.2 million  tonnes in 2009 to 74.3 million tonnes in 2012 before rising to 81.3 million tonnes in 2013. This was mainly driven by the fall in the domestic extraction of non-metallic minerals from 59.1 million tonnes in 2009 to 31.4 million tonnes in 2012, before rising to 33 million tonnes in 2013.  The remaining components of domestic extraction in 2013 were biomass at 37.2 million tonnes, metallic minerals at 3.8 million tonnes and fossil fuels at 7.3 million tonnes (due to a significant increase in peat extraction in 2013 compared to 2012). Trade imports of materials in 2013 amounted to 36.6 million tonnes compared with 15.7 million tonnes of exports. Fossil fuels (at 15.3 million tonnes) were the largest import category in 2013. Total emissions remained stable at 52.6 million tonnes in 2012 and 2013 after falling from 56 million tonnes in 2009. The trend in total emissions was driven largely by movement in its most important component – emissions to air.