Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am aware the committee of which Deputy McManus is a member has produced a report and the heads of a Bill on this question. It is a matter for the Minister and the Government to decide what contribution that can make to legislation envisaged in this area. The goodwill of the European Union is not in question on this matter. We have set out our targets and in the conclusions of the European Council we set out that we are prepared to go further, but it is strongly conditional. Success at Copenhagen will not be determined by the number of domestic Governments submitting targets they have agreed to individually and collectively in the EU, although I understand that this is not what Deputy McManus suggests. It will be determined by the preparedness of other parts of the world to make a proportionate contribution based on the scientific evidence available.

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