Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We referred to the Palestinian issue several times last week. At my request, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, wrote to Deputy Adams. The Government fully recognises Members' interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has done so for many years. Our goal is to achieve statehood for Palestine in reality, not rhetorically. The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, on behalf of the Government and, therefore, the people, is continuing to reflect on whether earlier recognition by Ireland would be a positive contribution to the situation and how it might affect our voice and influence on the issue. Is it the right thing to do? Is now the right time? What are the consequences? With the current wave of violence in Israel and Palestine, our immediate priority, quite rightly, must be directed towards reducing tensions and general de-escalation of this volatile situation. The Minister, and his counterparts across the EU, will discuss, as part of the agenda, the Middle East peace process at the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 November.

The climate change situation is more severe than the Deputy mentioned. Whoever is in government between 2020 and 2030, if the targets for 2030 are based on the 2020 targets, the fines could run to the order of €5 billion or €6 billion, which is an astronomical charge. There is a real challenge for the Government. The people will elect a new Government in the spring, and if it becomes my responsibility, we will have a real challenge between now and 2020. Our profile in terms of the agri sector is similar to only one other country, namely, New Zealand. I have always held the view that the scientific analysis that was done originally was not, perhaps, as strong as it might have been, and it will make it very difficult for this country to achieve the 2020 targets, never mind the 2030 targets. This means if we are to get any concession from Europe, another EU country will have to take up that slack. Regarding the cost of reducing carbon, we have less room for manoeuvre than others, due to our circumstances.

I referred to the issue with President Hollande the last time I was in Paris and I said we would attend and support COP21, which he will hold next month in Paris. The potential charge on the country is very severe. We have some of the best minds dealing with the sector and trying to work out how, technically and politically, we might be able to demonstrate that while we want to achieve targets we can achieve, we should not be saddled with something unachievable. Most of Ireland's climate financing to developing countries, which comes to €34 million per year, is being provided through the Irish Aid programme. The resources are delivered principally for climate change adaptation in sub-Saharan African countries through our country programmes, civil society organisations and international organisations.

The Government has pursued the transition to a low-carbon agenda. Our goal is to achieve a competitive low-carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050. The Government's Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, which is before the Seanad, will build on existing efforts to decarbonise the economy. The Bill sets out the process to achieve this transition, including the adaptation of a series of national mitigation plans. In anticipation of enactment of the legislation, work has already begun on the first such plan. A cross-departmental steering group will ensure the whole-of-Government approach to the plan and engagement across the sectors that is necessary will happen. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill places the Government's adaptation efforts on a legal statutory footing. These efforts are focused on the National Climate Change Adaptation Framework, published in 2012. To protect vulnerable communities, the Government has prioritised the introduction of a new flood-risk management programme being handled by the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris.

The Government has prioritised the introduction of a new flood risk management programme to protect vulnerable communities. Annual spending on the programme, which is being handled by the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, will reach approximately €100 million by 2021. The climate Bill also provides for an independent advisory council to advise the Government on matters relevant to mitigation and adaptation. The members of the climate change advisory council, who were announced in June of this year, are due to have their second meeting at the end of November. This will enable them to make an input into the important preparatory work that is already under way. At the Paris conference, we will strongly support an ambitious, legally binding, global agreement with broad participation as a core outcome of COP21. As an EU member state, Ireland is committed to playing its part in reaching an historic agreement on supporting decisions, which should put the world on a collective pathway to limit the average global temperature increase to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Ireland recognises that some of the poorest and most vulnerable countries need real assistance in responding and adjusting to climate change. We have maintained a flow of climate-related aid despite our recent economic circumstances. We deliver grants of approximately €34 million every year, mainly to countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We are actively exploring options for scaling up that mobilisation of climate finance from public and private sources. The recent passage of the climate Bill is an example of the steps we are taking in this regard.

Deputy Adams spoke about defence personnel. I do not think we have had any further requests from the UN for defence personnel. Such matters have to come before the Cabinet and the Oireachtas before they can be approved. That is the context for the conditions that are set out for participation by Irish troops. I will advise Deputy Adams further on that.

While we are not part of the protocol for the migration crisis and the asylum seekers, we have decided to opt into the protocol and agreed to accept approximately 4,000 asylum seekers and refugees under the resettlement or relocation programmes over a couple of years. This is well in excess of any sort of notional quota that might be allocated. This figure includes 520 refugees whom we have offered to resettle from existing refugee camps. Some of these people have now started to arrive in Ireland. It also includes 2,800 people under the Commission's relocation proposals. An initial tranche of 20 asylum seekers from Italy or Greece will arrive here before Christmas. The other numbers will arrive in stages after Christmas. This first tranche will include Syrian and Eritrean asylum seekers. The remaining people in that group - approximately 680 people - will be taken on a resettlement or relocation basis, with the final breakdown yet to be decided. As Deputies are aware, we have deployed Naval vessels - first, the LE Eithne, then the LE Niamhand now the LE Samuel Beckett- in the Mediterranean since June. It speaks for itself that 8,066 individuals had been rescued by 4 November last. Obviously, this rotation is due to be completed at the end of November. As the winter will have arrived at that stage, it is likely that a smaller number of boats will be travelling across the Mediterranean. The question of a further deployment will be considered at that stage in the context of what is actually happening in the region. I do not want to comment on the PDFORRA matter that was raised by the Deputy because it is the subject of arbitration at the moment. Perhaps it will suffice to say that the matter has not been lost sight of.

We provide financial support to other parts of the world that are affected by instability and conflict. Some €41 million will be provided by the end of 2015 to assist those who have been displaced as a result of the crisis in Syria. This is Irish Aid's largest response to a single crisis in recent years. Some €36 million has been allocated to deal with the humanitarian issue in Somalia since 2008. We have committed to and approved a doubling of our annual world food programme allocation from €10 million from €20 million for the next three years. High Representative Mogherini pointed out at a recent Council meeting that the level of food being given out for meals under the World Food Programme had been halved and that this was causing difficulties for thousands of children, in particular, who suffer from malnutrition and a lack of quality food. At the Valletta summit, which takes place this week, the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, will make a formal announcement of a significant contribution to the EU trust fund for Africa. The establishment of the Irish refugee protection programme and, in particular, the efforts of the interdepartmental task force, are important elements that we have to consider as well.

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