Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I said earlier that Ireland is the only country to have been allowed an increase on 1990 levels. I understand that Spain may have been granted an increase as well, although I am not sure. I may have been wrong to say that Ireland is the only country in that position — it may be one of just two such countries. We have been given permission to increase our emissions by 13% because the base figure comes from 1990, when the Irish economy was in a very poor position. We have substantially exceeded the 13% growth that we are allowed, but we are beginning to see decreases in the figures in some areas. We have time to make further reductions so that the targets to which we have signed up can be achieved by 2012, 2020 and beyond. Ireland has always been good at meeting the obligations in the international treaties to which it has signed up, and it will continue to be in such a position.

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