Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt about where it will go. It will not be used to provide a sustainable source of funding for local government; it will go nowhere next, nigh or near local government.

The idea behind introducing carbon emission targets and the approach to reducing such emissions were in recognition of the fact that we had carbon change obligations. Transportation is one of the areas in which we face a serious challenge. We are losing routes from the public transport system, which makes people much more car-dependent. We will struggle to meet the carbon emission targets by 2020 and there is every chance that the targets will be increased in the review to take place in 2015. We need to reward people for good behaviour in reducing carbon emissions and will have to pay fines if we do not reach the targets. It is counterproductive not to at least consider this issue from a medium-term perspective.

Let us be absolutely clear; this is not about the motor tax or local government fund. The proposed increases - this is the reason I tabled the amendment - are to achieve one thing and one thing only, namely, to pay down the national debt.

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