Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The schemes in Ireland are overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency. There are also international standards. One might ask how the calculation relating to transport is made. Carbon emission figures for transport are calculated on the basis of the country's throughput of diesel and petrol. The intriguing thing in this regard is that in Ireland, a significant proportion of diesel is sold to out-of-State fleets by means of so-called fuel tourism. This is never factored into the debate. In the Lower House yesterday, the Labour Party made the extraordinary and ludicrous proposition that we should increase our tax rates on petrol and diesel to match those in the North of Ireland to prevent drivers from that jurisdiction from purchasing fuel here.