Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister used the word "disappointing". That is a bit of an understatement. It is a catastrophic failure. It is absolutely shocking that we are so far off our emissions targets. It is not about massaging the figures, buying a little time, buying a few allowances here and there and all the rest. It indicates that we are well off course, particularly in the sectors mentioned by the Minister such as agriculture in which we are not facing up to our responsibilities in that regard. Ireland has the third highest emissions per capita with a heavy reliance on oil, coal and peat and rising emissions in sectors such as agriculture, energy and transport. We do not seem to be doing anything to correct this. Deputy Thomas Pringle's Bill is a good initiative. It will not change things all that dramatically, but it will contribute. Unless we start to deliver on things such as this, we will not just be disappointed and paying fines with a pot load of money, we could also be spending on other things. However, our planet will be destroyed and with it our country. We need to see something much better.

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