Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Despite what Deputy Eamon Ryan said — he obviously does not have the full facts — Ireland was the only country to be given an increase on its 1990 base level. Ireland has been allowed to have growth of 13%, whereas most other countries have had to face reductions. Deputy Ryan correctly stated that we are above the allowed figure at present, but it was never stated that we would achieve it within a year. We will achieve the targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol as we move towards 2012. We have signed up to the future development targets that will apply between 2012 and 2020. Ireland has the capacity to do that. I accept that it will involve some pain for various sectors of the economy and for all of us as individuals.

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