Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The national climate change strategy provides the basis for Government policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the most efficient and equitable manner, and to ensure that Ireland meets its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. A variety of measures adopted by the Government on foot of the strategy are already contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These include higher standards of energy conservation provided for in the building regulations, cleaner electricity generation, increased penetration of renewable energy, grant assistance for householders and businesses to support investment in renewable energy technologies, improvements in public transport, tax incentives for more fuel efficient cars, and a package of excise relief for biofuels worth €205 million over five years announced in last December's budget.

Recently updated projections of greenhouse gas emissions for the 2008 to 2012 period, which include the expected effects of all existing measures, show that Ireland will face an average annual distance to its Kyoto Protocol target of 10%. This figure is, in fact, approximately 2 million tonnes per year less than previously estimated. Arising from this study, the Government recently decided the proportion of the necessary reduction that should be achieved by the sectors of the economy included in the EU emissions trading scheme.

The Environmental Protection Agency is now in the process of allocating allowances to individual installations in the scheme. The remainder of the reduction will be achieved through measures in the rest of the economy and through the purchase of credits under the Kyoto Protocol's flexible mechanisms. To ensure our target is met, a review of the strategy is being finalised in my Department. This review will provide an updated progress report on implementation and will identify possible additional measures. I intend shortly to publish this review as a consultation document which will inform the preparation of a revised strategy.

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