Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 6: To ask the Taoiseach the number of Cabinet sub-committee on climate change meetings that have been held. [35627/07]

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Cabinet committee on climate change and energy security has met on three occasions since September 2007. The committee last met on 23 January 2008 and will meet again next month.

The Deputy will be aware I have outlined to the House now on a number of occasions that Cabinet committees are an integral part of the Cabinet process. Questions as to the business conducted at Cabinet or Cabinet committee meetings have never been allowed in the House on the grounds that they are internal to Government. The reasons for this approach are founded on sound policy principles and the need to avoid infringing the constitutional protection of Cabinet confidentiality. As always, questions on particular policy issues should be put down to the relevant Ministers.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Did the Taoiseach attend the three meetings?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yes.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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I accept the points made by the Taoiseach about Cabinet confidentiality. Does the Taoiseach accept that three meetings since the last general election of a committee charged with dealing with the vital issue of climate change is hardly an impressive record? I suggest the sub-committee has been remarkably ineffective. I am sure the Taoiseach is aware regarding the Government's climate change strategy that fewer than half the targets of 2007 were met. The overshoot of the Kyoto target is now almost 100%.

Is the Taoiseach not ashamed that despite the rhetoric, nothing has worked to ensure there is a real change as a result of a pressing challenge facing the world? Does the Taoiseach accept responsibility because, unlike other key heads of Government, he has been remarkably silent on the issue of climate change, which has added to lethargy in tackling an enormously important political issue?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The committee was set up at the very end of September. That is four months ago and there have been three meetings, so I would consider it an active committee. The officials group meets separately.

I explained recently in the House in answer to another question that all the issues regarding climate change and negotiations with the European Commission on the decisions made in January were all directed at the Cabinet table. They were not directed to the sub-committee. The discussions which went on for most of last year related to the Commission's decisions and the share of the burden we all have to take. All of the meetings were discussed by Cabinet.

The issues of climate change and renewable energy are rarely off the main Cabinet table. As per the terms of reference, certain aspects are put to the sub-committee but the day to day important issues and what we are doing with the Commission are taken at full Cabinet level.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Does the Taoiseach accept that there is a lack of leadership on this issue? The public knows more about his views on soccer than his views on climate change.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Policy issues in respect of climate change are a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, as the Deputy well knows.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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The Government established a sub-committee made up of a range of Ministers.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Climate change has a significant impact on soccer.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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The Ceann Comhairle's point is not strictly true.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Climate change has an impact on the soccer front as well.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I assume he knows about the Cork manager too.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Cork team is back in harness.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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It has a good manager too.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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The sub-committee was established because the Government recognised that it is not solely a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government but that four key Departments need to tackle this major political challenge. They need to be led from the top. Does the Taoiseach not accept that his lack of leadership on climate change is part of the problem? When will he give that direction to ensure that we make real changes to tackle climate change which affects every one of us but, most important, parts of the globe that are too poor to help themselves?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I do not accept any of that. It is nonsense. This issue has been on the agenda for most meetings of the Cabinet over the past two years. The sub-committee was set up to deal with aspects of it and the officials group is working hard on it. The Deputy should put down a question to the relevant Minister whom I am sure would be glad to give the detail. I have been involved through social partnership with what we have done on the question of renewable energy and burden sharing with the Enterprise Ireland strategy, industry and agriculture. If the Deputy watched what we were doing she would see the comments about that. Probably seven or eight Ministers are actively involved in this, not just one Minister or me. We have just completed a long, difficult and arduous negotiation with the Commission in which I was directly involved and which has been well publicised. We completed this in the past few weeks and received backing from President Barroso who was kind enough to thank the country and me personally for our involvement in it. Several Ministers are involved in this problem. I accept that the Deputy wishes to follow up on this but she should table a question to the Minister because he would be glad to give some of the background on this issue.