Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The issue of climate change and Ireland's contribution to the warming of our planet remains squarely on the political agenda and Fine Gael continues to consider it a policy priority. Ireland has played its part in the emission of greenhouse gases over the years in a negative way and we continue to be one of the worst offenders for the amount CO2 put into the atmosphere. Total greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 were 69.77 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. For a population of our size on a land-mass of Ireland's size we have become one of the larger polluters compared to other countries. Years of Government inaction and short-sightedness have brought us to this situation. For example, we have built 500,000 houses in the past ten or 12 years without any reference to appropriate insulation or building standards to help reduce carbon emissions in that sector. Thus we are left playing catch-up to meet some of the necessary objectives.

Government failure to tackle greenhouse gas emissions has led the European Union to impose an ambitious and drastic target of reducing emissions by 20% of our 2005 level by 2020. Only two other countries, Luxembourg and Denmark, were also given the highest possible target. This is the challenging situation in which we now find ourselves but it is a damning indictment of how the international community judges Ireland's attempts to curtail CO2 emissions.

The Government is entirely responsible for the transport sector, which is reporting rapidly rising CO2 emissions. This sector showed a 5.2% increase from 2005 to 2006, which is 165% above the 1990 transport emission levels. I note the Minister's latest statistics indicate it is 180% higher than the 1990 levels. In any case, there has been a rapid increase in emissions stemming from high levels of transport activity. The Environmental Protection Agency's report confirms that 97% of transport emissions can be accredited to road transport. This is music to the ears of the Minister because we know he does not have a high regard for road users and motorists generally. This is reflected in the increases in petrol and diesel consumption rising continually year after year.

See this speech in context