Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The applications before us bring us up to our target percentage for wind energy already. Our policy, as set out by Sustainable Energy Ireland, is to promote renewable energy. One cannot change things overnight. There is a significant premium on that issue.

I have also set out our policy on the Kyoto Protocol and the national climate change strategy. Far from taking a relaxed position, Ireland is the first country to have taken this position and used it in our Presidency. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has been to the fore in developing the national allocation plan and we have submitted our plan. I do not accept the claim that we are not taking a lead in this area.

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