Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to address the four key environmental challenges, including limiting and adapting to climate change, identified in the Environmental Protection Agency report on the state of the environment, published in October 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36414/08]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking in response to the finding in the state of the environment report published by the Environmental Protection Agency in October 2008, that under the most favourable scenario Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions will exceed the proposed reduction target for 2020 by seven million tonnes, that biodegradable municipal waste diversion targets will be missed by 800,000 tonnes and that emissions of nitrogen oxides are to remain high; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36419/08]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to address the issue identified by the director of the Environmental Protection Agency, namely, that Ireland's environment is an asset under threat and that Ireland is not progressing at a sufficient rate in relation to environmental quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36418/08]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to address the four key environmental challenges for Ireland, including complying with environmental legislation and agreements, identified in the Environmental Protection Agency report on the state of the environment published in October 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36417/08]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 38: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to address the four key environmental challenges, including mainstreaming environmental considerations across all sectors of the economy, identified in the Environmental Protection Agency report on the state of the environment published in October 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36416/08]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he is taking to address the four key environmental challenges, including reversing environmental degradation through water pollution and the conservation status of habitats, identified in the Environmental Protection Agency report on the state of the environment published in October 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36415/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 19, 22, 29, 38 and 59 together.

Ireland's Environment 2008, which is the Environmental Protection Agency's fourth state of the environment report, was launched by me on 8 October 2008. It concludes that the quality of Ireland's environment is relatively good overall, although it is subject to increasing pressures as a result of the rapid expansion of our economy. The report identified the following four key challenges for Ireland in the coming years: limiting and adapting to climate change; reversing environmental degradation; mainstreaming environmental considerations; and complying with environmental legislation and agreements. The challenges are significant and we must do more to deal with them.

Climate change is widely acknowledged as the most threatening global environmental challenge facing humanity. I have detailed the Government's response to this challenge in my reply to Question No. 1 on today's Order Paper.

While Ireland's water quality remains of a high standard, maintaining this standard is one of the most serious environmental challenges we face. Implementation of the water framework directive, the nitrates action programme and the Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 are key to securing and maintaining good water quality. The highest ever level of annual funding, €560 million, is being made available for water services investment in 2009. This is the clearest possible statement by the Government of the priority we are according to preserving and protecting our water resources as a key aspect of environmental quality.

The EPA report refers extensively to the report, The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland, which I published in May 2008. We are actively taking steps to maintain and restore habitats, particularly in protected areas. This requires effective prioritisation, planning and execution, as well the full involvement of Departments, local authorities, landowners, farmers and other stakeholders.

The EPA estimates the number of contaminated sites in Ireland at between 1,980 and 2,300. Two national initiatives are under way on establishing inventories of historic mines and unregulated waste disposal sites. I intend to introduce regulations to provide a legal framework for remediation of high risk waste disposal sites.

Key drivers for environmental protection are EU environmental legislation and multilateral environmental agreements. Some 200 items of EU environmental legislation, including more than 140 directives, have now been transposed into Irish law and are being implemented. Ireland has also ratified a range of multilateral environmental agreements. Compliance with environmental legislation is vital at national level and critical in terms of our commitment to working with the EU.

The report recognises that air quality in Ireland is generally of a high standard. The national programme on transboundary pollutants provides for the progressive reduction of these emissions by 2010 through a range of policies and measures in different sectors.

One of my main priorities is to improve dramatically the manner in which we manage our waste. The international review of waste management policy, which I have recently commissioned, will cover a wide range of issues to help identify how best to proceed with further efforts to reduce waste levels, improve recycling rates and deliver equitable and cost-effective waste management solutions.

The programme for Government accords a high priority to environmental sustainability and the integration of environmental concerns into broader policy formulation.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Since coming into office, I have increased significantly the resources available to Comhar to undertake policy analysis across the broad range of issues in sustainable development, and the representation of environmental issues in social partnership will be addressed in the review of Towards 2016.

Overall, it is a firm objective of Government to work towards a clean and safe environment for all. The EPA report makes a major contribution to awareness and debate on the environment and sustainable development in Ireland. It will inform and guide policy making and individual action in these areas over the years ahead.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The Minister outlined the rose tinted version of the EPA report but he failed to refer to the comments made by the director of the EPA, Dr. Mary Kelly, when she launched it.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I launched the report.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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When she attended the Minister's launch, she stated: "We are not making headway and we are not progressing at the rate we need to." The report described our environment as under threat. In regard to the four key challenges, it found that under the most favourable scenario, Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions will exceed the proposed reduction target for 2020 by 7 million tonnes and that we will exceed the target by 1.4 million tonnes per year. The biodegradable municipal waste diversion targets for 2016 will be missed by 800,000 tonnes. Issues also arise in regard to landfill degradation.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Does the Deputy have a question?

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The report found that serious obstacles had arisen to progress. That also appears to be the opinion of Dr. Kelly.

What concrete steps is the Minister taking to address the challenges set out in the report? There is a need for radical action now rather than in the future. Biodiversity loss represents a serious threat to our environment and if we do not act now, it will be too late in the future. Funding has been cut for the national parks and wildlife service which protects biodiversity. Less money is available for landfill remediation. The money for water services is welcome but the serious problems which have arisen in this regard have to be addressed. Landfill pollution will also have a detrimental influence on water quality. What concrete measures will the Minister implement over the next three years?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Deputy Tuffy is selective in quoting the comments of the director of the EPA at the launch because she went out of her way to thank me for the additional resources and staffing made available to the EPA. In regard to the Deputy's question of what can be done now, I have provided for record increases in the EPA's resources and staff complement at a time of major budgetary constraints. I did so because I wanted the best available data. The EPA has produced several excellent reports.

If I was to liken Ireland's environment to a student's report, I would say: "Not bad but could do a lot better". I have never underplayed the state of the environment or the challenges we face in meeting our Kyoto commitments. The EPA has projected that we are off target and has identified the agriculture and transport sectors in particular. I have outlined the initiatives I have taken in these sectors. I do not want to repeat myself because we can dwell too much on climate change.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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The Minister should conclude.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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In terms of the water framework directive, which is very important, a total of eight river basin districts, RBDs, have been identified on the island. Three of these are international RBDs in that cross-Border waters are shared with Northern Ireland, four are wholly within the State and one is wholly within Northern Ireland. The environmental objectives of the directive are to be achieved through the implementation of the river basin management plans, which will include programmes of measures. The Deputy has acknowledged the record increase of 19%, up to €560 million, which has been welcomed by local authorities. This is the practical measure that I, as Minister, have introduced.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The director may have thanked the Minister but she was just being polite because she was also critical when she said we were not making headway on the environment. That is a major criticism if we have a Green Party Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. No progress has been made on climate change. Nothing in the carbon report could be pinpointed. The 1% reduction has nothing to do with the Minister. If we reduce emissions in the coming years it will be because of the recession. What is the Minister doing? When will he make sure there are extra buses on the roads? I do not refer to a sustainable transport plan but to buses on the roads.

Will the Minister consider the Labour Party suggestion to set up a national forum on climate change to drive this issue? It is not being driven and the Minister needs help from some body to get momentum. Will the Minister consider abolishing carbon offsets and using the money for buses on the roads?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Deputy wishes to talk about climate change but her record on this is appalling. It is oppositional.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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I did not know I was in government.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Everything I have tried to do on climate change has been opposed. There is such a thing as constructive opposition. When I was in opposition, if the Government did something good on climate change, my party supported it. On a small initiative, such as the introduction of energy efficient light bulbs, Deputy Tuffy was first out of the traps——

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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No, I was not. That is not true.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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She is on the record as saying——

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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That is not a fact.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Perhaps she is trying to rewrite history but RTE has coverage of what she said when she ran on to the plinth——

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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I said there are legal problems, which have come to pass.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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She also said that CFLs were dangerous, trying to spook people. She probably succeeded to some extent. This is a good initiative.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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We still do not have that change.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Labour Party opposed the increase in excise duty, something that will reduce approximately 150,000 tonnes. Some initiatives may not be palatable but what is required is courage and leadership.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The Minister did not have the courage for a carbon tax.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Deputy Tuffy does not have that courage and those leadership qualities.