Professor Peadar Kirby:

That is what happens at the moment, but each country ultimately is responsible for meeting national targets within the overall target. After all, under Kyoto we had the right to increase our emissions, whereas other countries had to reduce their emissions. That took into account our levels of development at that time. Whenever a successor to Kyoto is brought into the European Union, Ireland will not be as leniently treated as we were back in the 1990s.