Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

It is quite obvious, from the outset, that environmental protection has never been high on the Government agenda. Implementation of EU environmental directives has been characterised by foot dragging, missed deadlines and warnings from the European Commission in areas such as the widespread pollution of drinking water, habitat damage, failure to submit reports on substances that damage the ozone layer, climate change and the failure to nominate areas of natural conservation importance.

Under the Kyoto Protocol this State must not let greenhouse gas emissions rise by more than 13% of the 1990 level and it is currently running at 23% above the agreed target. The Government failure to take the action necessary to curb greenhouse emissions in this State will result, according to preliminary projections, in the State facing estimated fines of more than €100 million, and possibly as high as €180 million, for failure to reduce emissions outputs in line with Kyoto Protocol commitments. These figures could quadruple thereafter. Taxpayers and not the big industrial polluters will end up carrying the resulting financial burden.

There is a lack of concern at Government level with actually achieving reductions in emissions. Responsible states should not resort solely to emissions trading and it should be remembered that the Exchequer will benefit from any actions which result in a reduction in emissions. We should be aiming beyond the Kyoto Protocol, which merely represents a minimum level with which all states should be complying.

Environmental non-governmental organisations have raised concerns regarding carbon trading schemes introduced as part of the Kyoto Protocol. They have pointed to failures in accounting, dubious science and the destructive impact of projects on local peoples and environments in developing countries, as reasons why trading pollution rights should be avoided. Perhaps the Government should take heed of their calls to make reductions at the source of pollution and develop energy policies that are justice based and community driven.

It is obvious that a number of measures need to be implemented at the earliest opportunity to address the growth of emissions in this State. The Twenty-Six Counties is facing enormous fines or alternatively will be forced to spend huge amounts of revenue, taxpayers' money, on emissions trading. Responsible states should not resort solely to emission trading and it should be remembered that the Exchequer will benefit from any actions which result in a reduction in emissions.

Only yesterday the European Commission said Ireland's national allocation plan for the amount of harmful emissions released during the 2008-12 trading period must be reduced by 6.4% and also found that the State has not made enough progress in its arrangements for compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. In particular, the Government's decision not to impose carbon taxes means the burden of paying penalties, estimated at €300 million per year, will fall on the general body of taxpayers rather than on the main offenders, notably in the transport sector. This is not what was envisaged in the Government's 1999 national climate change strategy.

This Government must build on the Kyoto Protocol and strengthen its positive points and then further commit itself to greater cuts in emissions post 2012. Sinn Féin supports a phased introduction of carbon taxes directed at those agents most capable of making the change from high to low emission fuels. This is not to say we support carbon taxes in all cases, only where it can be proven that such a tax would be effective in reducing emissions. It is obvious that a number of measures need to be implemented at the earliest opportunity to address the growth of emissions in this State or else we will cause irreparable damage to our environment.

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