Chris Andrews (Dublin South East, Fianna Fail)

While the Minister is away in Copenhagen, I can guarantee that the constituency will be well looked after.

This plan also highlights the need for the promotion of targets which would require a minimum percentage of new residential and mixed-use development to take place on brownfield and existing sites to consolidate urban growth and enable organic development of urban areas from the centre out. Dublin City Council is looking at its development plan and this brings challenges on heights and densities. It is a difficult issue with which to deal.

In the period 2008 to 2012, Ireland is required to meet a challenging greenhouse gas emission reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol. This target is binding in international law. In addition, by 2020 Ireland is committed under the EU climate and energy package agreed in December 2008 to achieve a 20% reduction on 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the sectors of the economy not covered by the EU emissions trading scheme. This target is binding in EU law, as will be any adjustment to it in light of the outcome to the conference of the parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen next week. Under a new international agreement on climate change, these cuts will become binding on Ireland. I certainly support this Government which is determined in its efforts to tackle climate change on a national level through a climate change Bill and the introduction of a carbon tax. This will lay the groundwork for achieving targets set under a new post-Kyoto international agreement. In April this year, the Minister requested that the National Treasury Management Agency stop buying carbon credits abroad on the basis that Ireland will now meet its targets under the Kyoto Protocol due to the economic slowdown and the reduction in business here. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has asked the NTMA to put its programme of carbon purchasing on hold for the foreseeable future. The Government clearly recognises that we need to move towards a low carbon economy at home and abroad to prevent increased poverty and catastrophic changes to the natural environment.

Like many others, I am a newcomer to the issue of climate change. We can certainly learn from the Green Party and that is why it is a benefit having that party in Government because of that commitment. The Green Party's members have been long-time advocates of making changes at national and international level to improve our position. I fully support the Government's efforts to tackle climate change and believe that we will make huge progress in this regard over the next year.

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