Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Sargent is right that it is an important issue. Regarding a new international agreement to continue progress made under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in the medium to long term to 2020 and beyond, environment ministers met yesterday to agree a position whereby the European Union would propose that developed nations agree to reduce greenhouse gas production by 30% in the post-Kyoto period after 2012. Failing to reach agreement with other developed nations which will be difficult the European Union suggests it would agree unilaterally to a 20% reduction target. The position was strongly supported on behalf of the Government by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, at yesterday's meeting.

The point I made at the weekend is that we successfully decoupled our greenhouse gas emissions from economic growth in this country.

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