Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I appreciate the Taoiseach's response. Regarding what Deputy Barrett has said, none of us on the committee would want to raise these issues here on questions to the Taoiseach, except for the fact that the recourse he is proposing is not working. I ask the Taoiseach to respond as to how we move beyond the arrangements he is suggesting should work but are not working. We have had Ministers before the committee, it has proposed legislation and nothing is happening.

I have no doubt the Taoiseach, as Chairman of the sub-committee, is very conscious of the urgency regarding climate change. It is the largest challenge facing us, in terms of our global responsibilities but the record is not good. Will the Taoiseach consider organising a meeting between the Members of the Cabinet sub-committee and the Members of the Oireachtas committee in preparation for Copenhagen at the end of the year? We have to do things differently because the world is changing and because of the threat of climate change. So far, nothing is being done differently to the way it was done before. I urge the Taoiseach to look at this in a different way.

I have a suggestion to make to which the Taoiseach might respond. If we had a meeting between the Cabinet sub-committee and the Oireachtas committee, it may lead the way, in terms of resolving issues here at home and our approach internationally. We are one of the greatest polluters in Europe. Either we will continue with that shame or we will work towards low carbon economic growth, which is the commitment we are making internationally but are not living up to at home.

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