Charlie McCreevy (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy will be aware, following my Budget Statement regarding carbon energy taxation last December, I published a carbon energy tax consultation paper prepared by my Department on 31 July last year. This consultation paper was designed to facilitate discussions on the introduction and design of the carbon energy tax while recognising that there are divergent views on the issue. Submissions in response to the paper were invited from interested parties to be received in my Department by 30 September 2003 but extra time was given where requested by organisations to complete their submissions. Some 117 submissions have been received by my Department in response to the carbon taxation consultation paper.

As one might expect, the views in the submissions are divided in terms of support for or concerns about the implications of such a tax. The submissions raise diverse concerns such as competitiveness, the impact on employment, the less well-off and rural areas, cross-Border aspects, the scope of the tax, the link with emissions trading, the role of negotiated agreements and alternative energy and the need for revenue recycling and how that should be applied. All relevant issues, therefore, including the effect of carbon energy tax on competitiveness, the question of ring-fencing revenues, the impact on those with low incomes and the promotion of more efficient technologies will be taken into account in the consideration of the proposal. As part of the consultation process, these submissions are now also available publicly on my Department's website.

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