Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In looking at where we see the future of Europe and what we seek to represent, I want to ask about the area of climate ambition and energy integration. The Commission has put together a legislative programme, the clean energy package, which affects governance, market rules, shared ambition in renewables and so on. In every area the Irish Government is taking an active position to halt ambition and stop an integrated European approach. For instance, only last week we received further information of the Irish Government position on assessing resource adequacy and whether it is necessary to pay capacity payments. I apologise if this is somewhat technical. The Irish Government position is that a state should not assess resource adequacy including its neighbour's ability to share energy with it. We are taking an active role in stopping other countries' ambitions to start working together on a collaborative basis in energy integration. That is one example. We are also taking a similar aggressive attitude in stopping the setting of high renewable targets, or ambition in high climate targets. That is the reality of what we are negotiating this month in Brussels on key directives which are in the middle of a trilogue process.

Is that in tune with what the Taoiseach will say regarding our vision for European integration when he attends the Council? Are we just going to integrate in military matters or will we try to restore our reputation somewhat by being progressive in environmental legislation? What the Government is doing this week and in recent weeks is seen in Europe as not only showing a lack of ambition for ourselves but also restricting the ambitions for other countries which wish to act collectively. Will the Taoiseach investigate this issue and report back? Will he set an environmental goal in his vision for the future of Europe?

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