People Before Profit to table a bill banning private jets in Irish air space

Gary Ibbotson 17 May 2023

People Before Profit will move a bill in the Dáil tomorrow to ban private jets in Irish air space.

Greenpeace has called on the EU and governments internationally to ban private jet use in order to equitably tackle carbon emissions. 

 A report by Greenpeace shows that the number of private jet flights in Europe increased by 64 percent last year with a doubling of carbon emissions in comparison to 2021. 

 The report noted that in Ireland there was an increase in private jet use by 159 percent compared to 2021- equating to a 246 percent increase in carbon emissions during the same period. 

 Speaking on the bill, TD Paul Murphy said: “We are bringing forward this legislation to ban private jet travel over Irish air space because they are a major source of carbon emissions. They are completely inequitable in that only the very wealthy can use them. 

 “Private jets are up to 14 times more polluting, per passenger, than commercial planes and 50 times more polluting than trains. About 40% of private jet flights are empty as they travel to a pick-up location.

 “It is completely unjust that ordinary people are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, such as hikes in carbon taxes while having no real alternatives to change personal behaviour. The recent rejection by the government of fare free public transport is one example of this. Yet very wealthy people use private jets which are so destructive to the climate.”

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