The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 may have had an impact on some of the indicators (such as emissions to air, transport and energy) in this publication.
Environment taxes in Ireland amounted to €4.8 billion in 2021 which was up 7% on the 2020 figures of €4.5 billion.
Environment taxes as a percentage of total taxes at 6% in 2021 were the lowest over the entire 2000-2021 period and were considerably lower than the peak 9% figure of 2010.
Energy taxes accounted for 64% of total environment taxes in 2021, while transport taxes accounted for 36% of the total. Pollution and Resource taxes contributed just 0.3% of total environment taxes in 2021.
Environmental subsidies in Ireland were €1.1 billion in 2020, close to the 2019 figure but 8% below 2018.
Subsidies associated with the production of energy from renewable resources increased from 0% of all environmental subsidies in 2000 to 30% in 2018, before falling to 13% in 2020 due to a decline in the Public Sector Obligation Levy. Subsidies associated with wastewater management declined from 59% of total environment subsidies in 2000 to 30% in 2020, while those associated with the protection of biodiversity fell from 38% to 19% over this period.
In 2020, consumers of petrol paid an average effective rate of €267 per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted. The average effective carbon rate on autodiesel was 29% lower at €190 in 2020, with the difference mainly due to the lower excise tax on road diesel.
In 2020, €2.8 billion was raised in energy taxes in Ireland. Environment subsidies were €0.4 billion in 2020, while €2.2 billion was spent on fossil fuel subsidies.
| Year | Energy taxes | Environment subsidies (energy and emissions) | Fossil fuel subsidies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.49108125214956 | 0.000493 | 1.5347 |
| 2001 | 1.4356268624653 | 0.00075645 | 1.6164 |
| 2002 | 1.67405370977776 | 0.00335384 | 1.715 |
| 2003 | 1.76290978722215 | 0.01320773 | 1.6207 |
| 2004 | 2.08383121099991 | 0.02309948 | 1.8857 |
| 2005 | 2.2127280339999 | 0.0218997 | 2.407 |
| 2006 | 2.2471149349999 | 0.01815987 | 2.5504 |
| 2007 | 2.25111293757078 | 0.05133702 | 2.1477 |
| 2008 | 2.25021451259357 | 0.05664931 | 2.672 |
| 2009 | 2.267246299 | 0.05843038 | 2.261 |
| 2010 | 2.520488825 | 0.18371902 | 2.3687 |
| 2011 | 2.691957596 | 0.1683668 | 2.2902 |
| 2012 | 2.634405171 | 0.12186549 | 2.3292 |
| 2013 | 2.72134076559478 | 0.12805838 | 2.2854 |
| 2014 | 2.84019627 | 0.15014479 | 2.4318 |
| 2015 | 3.042883324 | 0.21555713 | 2.4416 |
| 2016 | 3.13525459166667 | 0.29664482 | 2.3723 |
| 2017 | 3.25800358066667 | 0.41164359 | 2.5319 |
| 2018 | 3.17604088633333 | 0.55801459 | 2.798 |
| 2019 | 3.015239845 | 0.39510949 | 2.802 |
| 2020 | 2.76786278166667 | 0.39732221 | 2.1538 |
The consumer price index in Ireland increased significantly in 2021 for most energy products. The price index for electricity increased from 100 in December 2006 to 172.2 in 2021, higher than for any other energy product, and significantly above the 2020 figure of 153.2. The increase in gas price figures from December 2006 to 2021 were the lowest for any fuel, but these also jumped significantly by 7.8% from 111.6 in 2020 to 120.3 in 2021.
An error was discovered in Table 2.4. This was corrected on November 18th 2022.
| Year | Electricity | Solid fuels | Petrol | Autodiesel | Gas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 65.5 | 68 | 87.5 | 82.9 | 48.8 |
| 2001 | 65.7 | 73.5 | 81 | 72.9 | 49.9 |
| 2002 | 71.5 | 76.5 | 83.9 | 75.9 | 50.1 |
| 2003 | 79.2 | 78.7 | 84.5 | 78.5 | 53 |
| 2004 | 84.8 | 81.5 | 92.8 | 86.8 | 55.6 |
| 2005 | 96 | 87.7 | 100.7 | 99.4 | 64.7 |
| 2006 | 100 | 94.4 | 107.5 | 104.7 | 81.8 |
| 2007 | 111.6 | 102.6 | 108.9 | 105.1 | 90.6 |
| 2008 | 114.3 | 112 | 116.9 | 121.7 | 91.2 |
| 2009 | 115.8 | 120.5 | 107.7 | 99.3 | 93.7 |
| 2010 | 111.7 | 117.5 | 126.7 | 119.4 | 83.6 |
| 2011 | 119.1 | 118.2 | 144.2 | 138.7 | 89.1 |
| 2012 | 132.6 | 118.6 | 157.7 | 151.4 | 102.7 |
| 2013 | 140 | 123 | 153.1 | 146.1 | 109.5 |
| 2014 | 145 | 131 | 147.8 | 140.5 | 111.8 |
| 2015 | 144.8 | 134.8 | 132.8 | 122.3 | 109.2 |
| 2016 | 139.7 | 134.3 | 124.3 | 111.1 | 105.9 |
| 2017 | 138.3 | 133.9 | 132.2 | 120.7 | 104.2 |
| 2018 | 148 | 134.8 | 139.7 | 129.7 | 109.3 |
| 2019 | 152.7 | 137.3 | 138.6 | 130 | 116.6 |
| 2020 | 153.2 | 139.5 | 134.4 | 124.1 | 111.6 |
| 2021 | 172.2 | 146.1 | 148.7 | 138.2 | 120.3 |
Domestic extraction of resources in Ireland increased from 74.8 million tonnes in 1995 to 152.3 million tonnes in 2007, before falling to 69.2 million tonnes in 2011. In 2019 the figure had increased to 98.4 million tonnes.
Domestic Material Consumption (DMC) increased from 88.5 million tonnes in 1995 to 179.9 million tonnes in 2007, before falling to 88.4 million tonnes in 2011. In 2019 DMC had increased to 121.7 million tonnes.
| Year | Domestic extraction | Trade imports | Trade exports | Domestic material consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 74.8172180021716 | 24.4287 | 10.79 | 88.4559180021716 |
| 1996 | 79.2847434228887 | 25.1593 | 10.3579 | 94.0861434228887 |
| 1997 | 80.7979337646564 | 27.2437 | 11.5208 | 96.5208337646564 |
| 1998 | 88.5581860984738 | 30.2987 | 12.1855 | 106.671386098474 |
| 1999 | 98.840358532865 | 29.6425 | 12.104 | 116.378858532865 |
| 2000 | 109.021740261506 | 31.9218 | 13.4806 | 127.462940261506 |
| 2001 | 109.922015950091 | 31.7022 | 12.8405 | 128.783715950091 |
| 2002 | 109.532180002328 | 34.3299 | 13.6243 | 130.237780002328 |
| 2003 | 126.939857477651 | 33.0326 | 12.4735 | 147.498957477651 |
| 2004 | 138.04380557937 | 36.7112 | 14.1822 | 160.57280557937 |
| 2005 | 138.964999909901 | 37.5455 | 14.1847 | 162.325799909901 |
| 2006 | 150.530244922 | 38.8001 | 14.6759 | 174.654444922 |
| 2007 | 152.255055481059 | 42.297 | 14.6758 | 179.876255481059 |
| 2008 | 134.250862398227 | 38.8646 | 14.8787 | 158.236762398227 |
| 2009 | 99.6814594497176 | 33.3898 | 13.1586 | 119.912659449718 |
| 2010 | 82.307302095127 | 35.8108 | 14.6605 | 103.457602095127 |
| 2011 | 69.1875040331615 | 34.9465 | 15.7463 | 88.3877040331615 |
| 2012 | 70.3283367670113 | 34.7508 | 16.3758 | 88.7033367670113 |
| 2013 | 74.7885308681178 | 36.6239 | 15.6723 | 95.7401308681178 |
| 2014 | 72.9367372333153 | 36.4182 | 16.7018 | 92.6531372333153 |
| 2015 | 75.489376890545 | 39.1474 | 18.5299 | 96.1068768905451 |
| 2016 | 83.3281260060254 | 38.6791 | 18.8139 | 103.193326006025 |
| 2017 | 88.4553774670809 | 40.3492 | 18.4621 | 110.342477467081 |
| 2018 | 92.6462874484901 | 43.8694 | 18.2946 | 118.22108744849 |
| 2019 | 98.3754414479895 | 41.51 | 18.215 | 121.67044144799 |
Fish landings by Irish vessels in Irish ports varied between 149,000 tonnes (in 2008) and 249,000 tonnes (in 2012) during the period 2007-2021. In 2021 this figure was 182,000 tonnes.
Atlantic Mackerel was the most common fish species landed in Irish ports by Irish vessels, at 28% of the total in 2021, followed by Blue Whiting at 20% of the total in that year.
Dwellings built in recent years are considerably more energy efficient than those constructed in earlier periods, with 98% of those constructed between 2015-2021 given an A building energy rating, compared with 0% in 2000-2004.
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% since 2009.
The average monthly domestic metered public water consumption per meter per day in 2020 was 379 litres. This was a 2% decrease compared with the 2014 average of 386 litres and 7% above the 2019 average of 355 litres.
The median monthly consumption per meter per day in 2020 at 284 litres was 11% higher than the 2014 figure of 256 litres.
Total networked gas consumption in Ireland in 2021 was 55,413 gigawatt hours, a decrease of 4.4% over consumption in 2020.
Power plants accounted for 61% of total networked gas consumption in 2021 compared with 25% by the non-residential sector and 14% by the residential sector.
Total metered electricity consumption in Ireland was 28,506 GWh in 2021, an increase of 5% between 2020 and 2021.
Large energy users, such as the largest data centres and cement manufacturing, accounted for 23% of metered electricity consumption in 2021. The residential sector consumed 33% of metered electricity in 2021.
The volume of excise clearances for autodiesel increased from 2.0 billion litres in 2000 to 3.7 billion litres in 2019. This figure declined in 2020 to 3.2 billion litres due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on transport volumes. Excise clearances for autodiesel recovered somewhat in 2021 to 3.4 billion litres.
The volume of fuel excise clearances for unleaded petrol declined from 2000 when it was 2.0 billion litres to 773 million litres in 2020. It increased in 2021 to 825 million litres.
Marked gas oil clearances decreased from 1.6 billion litres in 2000 to 1.2 billion litres in 2021.
The volume of excise clearances for kerosene increased from 789 million litres in 2000 to 1.1 billion litres in 2021.
Gross output by the environment goods and services sector was €6.6 billion in 2019, a decrease of 3.3% on 2018. Gross output of this sector was 3.1% of modified GNI in 2019, the lowest of the entire period from 2010-2019.
Environment protection activities accounted for €2.7 billion (41%) of total environment goods and services sector gross output in 2019 while resource management activities accounted for €3.9 billion (59%) of gross output.
