Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

The legally binding target is 51%. That is the very least of what the science demands. However, we are miles off that and there is no indication whatsoever that the Government will speed up ambition. Things are going in the opposite direction. The EPA report states that emissions will fall by only 23% - that is the best-case scenario - with additional measures that have not even been agreed yet. The outlook with existing measures, which also optimistically assumes they will be fully implemented, is for a reduction of less than 9% by 2030. It is projected that emissions in agriculture, our biggest emitting sector, will increase. The EPA's report is damning of the policy of the Government. It states, "Projected gaps ... are larger than last year due to more conservative delivery of measures", and, "there are no significant additional measures in CAP 2025". The Government is going to break our own climate laws and cost us up to €26 billion in fines.

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