Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late and I welcome the delegation to the committee. This is an important debate around the climate change Bill and the challenges we face. I noted with interest Mr. D'Arcy's comments regarding the setting of targets and that we have to be very careful about doing that. I ask him to expand on that. In his view, should Ireland set targets in this legislation? He referred to that, but I would like him to give a simple "Yes" or "No" answer to that question. I note that some companies in the group operate in other jurisdictions around the globe where climate legislation is in existence and targets have been set. How are those companies doing? Is it affecting their business and the cost of doing business?

We need to explore further climate change realities versus the current economic realities, because the NGOs clearly tell us we should set targets, but that will affect us economically. I would appreciate if Mr. D'Arcy would explore and explain that further. What are the group's constituent companies doing internally in the sector? Are they individually setting targets internally? I appreciate that the group has many policies on corporate social responsibility and reducing carbon emissions is one of the areas it is trying to address. I have mentioned this issue at the committee and it is an important point. A company in my constituency, GlaxoSmithKline, is trying to reduce its carbon emissions by installing a wind turbine but it is meeting opposition to that project at every level and An Bord Pleanála recently refused its application for it.

I acknowledge that companies are trying to reduce carbon emissions but Government policy and the way we are set up - it is probably a legacy issue because we are not moving quickly enough to assist - is causing problems. It is all very well to set targets and to expect companies to make reductions when the country does not have its act together in terms of how we assist them policy-wise. How can we do more to assist?