Mr. Dara Lynott:

I thank the joint committee for inviting us to attend. I am accompanied by Dr.Tom Ryan and Mr. Stephen Treacy.

The agency is independent and has a wide range of responsibilities. In the climate area every year we produce Ireland's greenhouse gas inventories and projections up to 2020. We also implement the emissions trading directive for over 100 of the largest producers of carbon dioxide in Ireland. It is backed up by a research programme in the climate area and the support we give to business on resource efficiency. We have a short presentation and handed the slides to members of the committee.