Mr. Duncan Stewart:

We have not really discussed all these details. I have never really been confident about emissions trading, although I do not want to speak for others in that regard. If we want real and effective measures, there must be a transformation strategy. We must make this massive change and there must be a clear vision for the country in order to carry this out.

In that, there should be a transformation, tax, levy or whatever we call it on fossil fuels, one that internalises the external cost of the damage being done by fossil fuels while accounting for the loss to Ireland of imports and the jobs created – and money leaving our economy - by filling up at filling stations.

We need to put a price on carbon like Sweden, which has set a price at more than €100 per tonne. For this reason, Sweden is progressive. Its emissions are half of ours per capitaand falling rapidly because it has set ambitious mechanisms. Environmental taxes can do incredible good.

The problem with the 2020 targets is that Government level has mismanaged this area so badly in the past ten or 15 years that we now find it difficult to make up for it. We must wake up to the reality that we must move out of our unsustainable approach. We must consider our children’s future. We are digging a hole for them. In 20 years' time, they will hold us responsible for that damage. In this Bill, we need to recognise the damage that we are doing and put mechanisms in place, or at least outline them, that will drive change. The two previous national climate change strategies failed to deliver. We must recognise that fact. They failed because they contained no mechanisms to drive change.

We need the right vision and strategy that are backed up by mechanisms that will deliver the necessary changes. Relying on emissions trading is not a solution, as it is too fickle and depends on markets. Real prices need to be decided and we must internalise the cost of the damage caused by fossil fuels.