Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Government is tricking around with the idea of changing VRT and adjusting it to reward those who purchase lower-emission vehicles. However, it cannot quite make the commitment in that regard and is intent on awaiting the findings of a few more consultation groups or the compilation of further reports. The Government is putting off until tomorrow the decision it is not prepared to make today. It does not want to rock the boat or worry any voters.

I wish to bring Members' attention to the fact that something is being provided for in the small print. We are being asked to provide funding in respect of a €270 million fine for failing to meet our Kyoto commitments. Why are we failing to meet those commitments? First, we allowed 500,000 houses to be built without insisting that they be constructed to the highest standard. We have locked the planning system into the worst form of urban sprawl that is causing families hardship in terms of paying for transport. The environment is being damaged by the carbon emissions to which this gives rise.

Ireland made commitments regarding the introduction of renewables in respect of which it has not delivered. We are bottom of the renewables league because we failed to make the crucial investment of installing an interconnector so that we might introduce more renewables into the electricity grid on a viable basis. The Government was not serious about greening the tax code, for which opportunities exist.

We should relate vehicle registration tax, VRT, to CO2 emissions. We should also consider housing development charges to relate them to the intensity of a house's energy use. We should examine the stamp-duty code to ensure that when houses change hands, the highest environmental standards are applied. We should remove artificial quotas for bio-fuels so that people might at least develop the product. We should make blending compulsory to provide opportunities to use bio-fuels instead of oil-based products.

If the Minister were serious about greening the tax code, he might do many things. However, it was a suitable spin to put out in the knowledge that green voters were expressing concern and that a soft vote existed. We need action on this serious business. Irish emissions are costing €6,000 million every year in environmental damage to the world, some €700 million over the Kyoto limits. It is against that record that we should be judged. We must take a lead in the area, and the Government is not willing to do so, only being willing to follow.

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