Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My reading is they will be 6% to 11% below 2005 levels. As we are supposed to have a 20% reduction on 2005 levels, we will be significantly below that figure, if my numbers are correct. I do not buy the contention that the fines will be somewhat small and irrelevant; they will be significant. It will depend on the cost of carbon credits, but fines may, of course, be very significant. It remains a mystery to me as to how the Government intends to pave the way towards meeting our even more ambitious targets for 2030. This is totally unacceptable and there is a lack of regard for the severity of the climate change challenges we are facing. The Minister now has a public that in the past two to three years has moved significantly towards accepting and recognising the real threat posed by climate change. We have seen various weather events, most recently in County Donegal and previously in the Minister's area and mine along the River Shannon. We have the potential to get a public buy-in, but yet again the Department and the Government are way behind on the matter.

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