Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Eamon Ryan has already put on the record of the House the fact that the EPA has shown this week that our emissions increased by 3.5% this year due to increased activity in dairy, energy and transport. It may have escaped national focus because of political controversy in recent days but because of that, this nation is facing fines of at least €455 million, which is an enormous sum, by 2020 and maybe up to €600 million. The year 2020 is not that far away and €600 million would gobble up a fair chunk of any available fiscal space we might have and should be devoting to other more productive uses building the capacity of this State. We are already well behind the curve. What specifically are we going to do? Are we just going to sail into a situation where we are going to buy carbon credits and face fines rather than take a really proactive line now to bring the actual greenhouse gas emissions we create in this country into line with the commitments we made openly and voluntarily to the international community?

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