Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputies for their many interesting contributions, some provocative and some grotesquely inaccurate. I will address the last point made by Deputy Eamon Ryan, since I nodded many times while he spoke. Several points can be made. The Nairobi conference was one of those life-changing events. It was in the right place because the impact of global change was all around. The cries from African and other developing nations, including Vanuatu, could be heard there. The Deputy is quite right in that respect. I also agree with the Deputy's second point — that it is not really an economic issue but one of moral imperative, which should inform our views and responses.

I want to address the issue of carbon purchasing mechanisms. The Deputy will recall that at that conference, Kofi Annan made what I thought was an astonishing contribution, calling for action to support Africa in particular. He said that the flexible mechanism in the Kyoto agreement could be used to positive moral effect. He also said it could be used properly to help the developed nations of the world to be much more ambitious and progressive, and not to be concerned about any economic impact at home.

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