Environment taxes on agriculture were 1.3% of the total environment-related taxes collected in 2022, recent data has shown.
This represents a total of €61 million collected, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
A total of €4.5 billion was collected in environment taxes in 2022, which was a lower figure than the €5 billion collected in 2021, showing a decrease of €500 million.
Gerard Keogh, statistician with the CSO said: “The decrease was due to the introduction of a temporary reduction in excise duty on fuels in April.”
An environment tax is defined by EU regulations as tax whereby the tax base is a physical unit of something that has a proven negative impact on the environment, and which is identified in the European system of accounts as a tax.
Environment taxes collected in 2022
Environment-related taxes accounted for 4% of total taxes in 2022, with the CSO providing a breakdown of the taxpayer type and the economic sector of the taxes.
Taxpayer type:
- Pollution and resource taxes – 0.4%;
- Transport taxes – 39%;
- Energy Taxes – 61%.
Economic sector:
- Households – 56%;
- Services – 31%;
- Industry – 11%;
- Agriculture – 1.3%.
Environment taxes in agriculture reached their peak in 2015, when a total of €81 million was collected, including €73 million in energy taxes.
Environment-related taxes
Taxes on transport fuels (hydrocarbon oils) accounted for 54% of all energy taxes in 2022.
Keogh said: “The combined carbon tax, carbon credits and the public service obligation (PSO) levy accounted for 41% of energy taxes.”
There was an increase of carbon taxes seen in 2022, as the CSO reported they rose by 22% to €807 million.
Transport taxes (including motor tax and vehicle registration tax) accounted for 39% of all environment-related taxes in 2022.
“Environment taxes levied on service industries were €1.4 billion in 2022, representing a 31% share of total environment taxes,” Keogh added.
Only 0.4% (€18 million) of all environment taxes were collected in the form of pollution and resource taxes – a landfill levy; a plastic bag levy; a fisheries levy; or a petroleum act levy.