Results 1,941-1,960 of 15,491 for speaker:Eamon Gilmore

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Clearly this is being driven — I have seen the posters — by the fact that Fianna Fáil has discovered the future tense.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: It has discovered it from focus groups which have obviously persuaded the party leadership that the way for the guys to go — I am sure the advisers are the sort of people who use "guys" frequently in their colloquial language — is to keep telling them what they are going to do.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: They have been advised to refer to the next steps forward and to make sure the people forget about the past ten years. The advice is to delude the people into thinking that Fianna Fáil has not been in Government during that time.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I give full marks to both Ministers for producing a climate change strategy document that is a reheated version of the old document and which sets out to do things that the Government should have done already.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: However, there is a serious side to this issue. The Fianna Fáil Government that was elected in 1977 plunged Ireland into a financial debt from which it took 20 years to escape.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: The Fianna Fáil Government that was elected in 1997 has now plunged Ireland into a carbon debt.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: This constitutes a new national debt from which it may take another 20 to 30 years to escape.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Instead of facing up to the imperative of the Kyoto treaty and the problems of climate change and doing something real to reduce carbon emissions, it has chosen to ignore the continuing rise in carbon emissions in Ireland and to buy its way out.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: The hope is——

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I understand the mix of measure that are required. I refer to the ETS scheme, the purchase of carbon credits and so on. However, I do not accept the reliance on purchasing carbon on which the Government insists and which it believes it can do on the cheap.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: However, it will not be able to do so and will plunge Ireland into continuing debt.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I did not interrupt the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: The Ministers opposite should listen to the point.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Of course, we will buy carbon. It must be purchased as part of the package.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I have not. The problem is that the Government relies almost exclusively on the purchase of carbon. The sum of €270 million that the Government states this will cost, while telling the people it is cheap at the price, would do much for the health service. However, the sum of €270 million that the Government claims will be sufficient to buy the carbon will be nowhere near enough. If...

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I would buy as little carbon as possible.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: I would try to reduce the level of carbon emissions. Had the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the former Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, succeeded in reducing carbon emissions——

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: ——in the past ten years, we would not now be saddled with the degree of financial burden that will be their legacy when they leave office in a number of weeks' time.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: Their legacy to the taxpayer will be a massive bill for the Government's irresponsibility in dealing with this issue.

Kyoto Protocol: Motion (3 Apr 2007)

Eamon Gilmore: The Government has failed to reduce emissions, which constitutes the major problem. The two areas that must be examined with regard to the reduction of carbon emissions are the two areas which have generated the biggest increase in emissions, the energy and transport sectors. There is no point talking about industry because industry is doing its bit. In the transport sector, the Government...