Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Paris Agreement on climate change was discussed at the European Council meeting. Ireland is currently on track to face financial penalties of up to €600 million by 2020. This would account for a significant proportion of the available fiscal space. Ireland is facing between €3 billion and €6 billion of penalties by 2030. Our climate targets involve a 20% cut in emissions by 2020, a 30% cut in emissions by 2030 and a 80% cut in emissions by 2050. However, we are going in the other direction at the moment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, our emissions are increasing. The current policies of the Government will mean that emissions will increase further. It is interesting that this Government is quick to lambaste Donald Trump for his shocking decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement on climate change even though it is flouting the agreements to which it is currently signed up. Was the Government's poor climate record discussed at the Council meeting?

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