Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister plans to go from the current rate of 9% to 15% within two years. How much of that change will be accounted for by increasing the mandatory requirement for biofuels in petrol? Given the scale of the fines Ireland is facing for its failure to tackle climate change, if the Minister is negotiating with the French and German Governments on the basic premise that Ireland should not be fined for not reaching emissions targets but allowed to spend money instead, the Minister would need his budget to be doubled or tripled on budget day in order to correlate potential fines and proposed spending to show the French and German Governments we are serious. Does the Minister agree that if his argument to the French and German Governments is that Ireland should be given a chance to spend the money on reducing emissions rather than paying a fine, that would behove the Minister, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and the Government to show they are serious by doubling or tripling the Minister's budget. Does he agree? That is the scale of the fines we are facing. If, rather than paying a fine we would spend it on reducing emissions, that is the scale of expenditure increase his Department should be given.