Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he plans to redraft the climate change strategy in view of recent information that calculated that Ireland will not meet Kyoto or EU targets with existing policies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36814/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 68 of 9 July 2008 in which I indicated that, since publication of the current national climate change strategy, work has continued across Departments on the development of further measures to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions. I also pointed out that, under the direction of the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security, Departments have intensified their work on developing measures both for the Kyoto period and the longer term and, in that respect, work towards a new national climate change strategy is under way.

Ireland will meet its EU commitment for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol. While the latest data from the EPA point to a greater challenge than was previously projected, I stated in my carbon budget speech last week that the gap will have to be bridged by a combination of further measures and the purchase of carbon credits under the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. While this is a valid response, I have made it clear that the use of carbon credits must be supplementary to emission reductions and that we must not, under any circumstances, allow the option to purchase credits to deflect from the fundamental objective of taking the necessary actions towards a low-carbon trajectory in the longer term.

The carbon budget drew together the key national responses to greenhouse gas emission reductions for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol and beyond. Some responses will deliver emission reductions in the short to medium term but the longer term is even more important. The level of structural change needed to underpin a transition to a low carbon economy cannot be achieved overnight and my priority in the carbon budget was to put in place the type of drivers that are needed, such as the new 40% target for electricity from renewable sources, to achieve the objective as quickly as possible in a longer-term context.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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When will the new climate change strategy be ready? When will the House have an opportunity to discuss it? What new initiatives has the Minister in mind to achieve the 3% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions promised in the programme for Government? Is the programme still the basic document towards which we should work?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The work is ongoing and I introduced the concept of a carbon budget in order that the Opposition and outsiders could see the progress we are making on the climate change strategy. As the EPA is better resourced, it has more accurate projections. Despite that, we achieved a 1% reduction last year. My ambition is greater than that and I would like a 3% annual reduction but that is a start.

The Deputy asked about specific measures. We introduced VRT and motor tax measures, which the Deputy and his party opposed.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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We did not oppose the VRT increase. The Minister should try to be accurate.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Deputy was vocal in his opposition to motor tax increases.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Yes but not in regard to VRT changes. The Minister should try to be accurate.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Excise duty has reduced our CO2 emissions and the Deputy was vocal in his opposition to increases in this regard. This was also the case when energy efficient light bulbs were introduced.

I still do not know the Deputy's position on the carbon levy. Perhaps he could outline that.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister's position is more important.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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We do not have the details of the Minister's policy yet.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The levy will be introduced in next year's budget. Reference was made to initiatives to encourage people to use bicycles. The Deputy is smirking again. Cycling is promoted in sophisticated European cities and it is a way of reducing emissions.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister is not in the best of form this week but he should not provoke the Opposition. We are trying to be constructive about this important issue. I asked a basic question and he turned on me.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I did not turn on the Deputy.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Minister decided to go AWOL for a few seconds. He recently stated he is not the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the Minister for Transport and he called on his colleagues to do something to meet the programme for Government commitment. He does not know much about collective Cabinet responsibility. The Minister has a key position in the Government to achieve the goals he talked about for long enough. Let us see the colour of his money.

When we are given the details regarding the introduction of a carbon levy, we will be glad to scrutinise it then. We will be glad to scrutinise any ministerial proposal. Will the Minister indicate in the context of the cutbacks in public transport, how he will achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to meet the targets, which are important?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Deputy is correct that this is about collective Cabinet responsibility and we must act responsibly collectively. Everybody has a role to play and everybody must step up to the plate. The Deputy is correct to identify the agriculture and transport sectors. The agriculture sector is responsible for more than 28% of our emissions and 40% in the non-ETS sector, which is incredible. That is unique to Ireland, as no other European country produces that level of emissions. Similarly, emissions in the transport sector are escalating.

I stated in my carbon budget that it must be ensured we introduce a sustainable transport plan and I will work closely with the Minister for Transport in this regard. The sustainable transport action plan contains many initiatives, which will encourage greater bus use. People will be given real time information about the arrival of a bus. Most commuters will welcome this because the difficulty they face currently is they do not know when the next bus will arrive.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Seeing is believing.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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We have heard all this before.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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This is happening and it represents progress. As a cyclist, I also welcome the progress in cycling initiatives in Dublin. The investment in upgrading the cycle ways is welcome.