Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The proposals published by the Commission begin the process which will lead to an agreement on the contributions of individual member states towards meeting the EU targets agreed at the 2007 EU Spring Council. The Commission's proposals require Ireland to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, based on 2005 emissions figures and achieve an overall target of 16% of final energy consumption from renewable energy by 2020.

The proposals set out by the Commission are complex and far reaching and go beyond changes to the emission trading scheme. They require detailed analysis and discussion at EU and domestic level and my Department will be central to this process. The cost in budgetary terms and the economic impact will depend on the methods used to achieve whatever target is finally set. We will try to be as fiscally neutral as possible.

The Government fully supports the objectives agreed at the EU Spring Council last year and the leadership shown by the EU's ambitions in this area of climate change. It is important that national circumstances and competitiveness impacts are considered. In this regard it is essential to ensure that the Commission's proposals adequately take into account the Irish situation with regard to the large difference between our gross domestic product and gross national income, our infrastructural deficit, our recent and projected levels of population growth and the relatively large size of the Irish agriculture sector and its global competitiveness.

It is important, however, to look positively on the challenge and not just dwell on the negatives. To the extent, for example, that extra capital spending generates fuel and other efficiencies in using natural resources this will be to our overall economic and fiscal benefit. The proposals for the emissions trading scheme also involves new revenue streams for national governments which will also form part of the policy mix.

As I outlined in my Budget Statement this is a challenge for all citizens and not just the Government and will involve choices being made and changes in behaviour to realise the ambition of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Government has been acting over recent years to begin to address the challenge of climate change and we will continue to work towards reducing emissions.

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