Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland has committed to limiting its increase of greenhouse gases to 13% above 1990 levels, a limit that must be reached during the period 2008-12. Current levels of carbon emissions are more than 25% above 1990 levels. It does not give me pleasure to bring these facts before the House. However, the motion exposes the Fianna Fáil Party, the Green Party and Progressive Democrats to this criticism. I believe the person who wrote this motion should be censured.

The EU Commission has set Ireland a target of a 20% reduction on 2005 levels, namely, the rate of emissions must be reduced by 20% by 2020. We are way behind in achieving this target. On the fuel mix for electricity generation, in 2006 only 4.5% of our energy came from renewable sources while 92.5% came from fossil fuels. The Government stands most condemned in regard to the road transport sector. Some 97% of energy in the road transport sector comes from fossil fuels which result in high CO2 emissions. A problem arises in the context of the Government not having embraced the concept of putting in place a national railway system. Nor has it developed an education programme to persuade people to share cars and use public transport or provided a public transport system that people can use. However, the biggest condemnation of the Government — Senator Ó Domhnaill, as a native of Donegal, will understand this — is the deficiencies in the railway network throughout the country. A radical plan of action is required to develop a national railway structure to deal with the transport sector's contribution to CO2 emissions. People are still buying gas-guzzlers. There has been no education in this respect either.

The new CO2-based motor tax regime does very little to address greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, it will take only 50,000 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year. In 2005 and 2006 a total of 682,000 tonnes of CO2 were emitted nationally, so we have 14 times the level of carbon emissions that would be removed by the new green taxes on cars. The scheme, while good in theory, is weak in practice and will achieve very little. It is a welcome drop in the ocean, but it is only a drop in the ocean and is not a basis for congratulatory motions.

Many of the Government's actions have failed to meet the deadlines set as part of the national climate change strategy targets, including the following: the drafting of a sustainable transport action plan by the Department of Transport, which was supposed to be achieved in 2007; the use of CFL long-life bulbs by all public bodies; a move to 5% bio-fuel use in all national parks and wildlife service vehicles; the publication of guidelines on sustainable residential development; the launch of a multi-annual awareness campaign on climate change; and the launch of an action plan for green public procurement. None of these was achieved in 2007, which is hardly an example of proactive government.

A fortnight ago the Cabinet approved the use of €400,000 to buy carbon credits to offset official Government travel. I understand the Green Party members of the Government forced this. The taxpayer is now paying for the carbon credits as well as the travel. I know from our interaction on the Broadcasting Bill that the Minister of State does listen and I ask him to consider this fact. At the moment, €15 million is being spent on a climate change awareness media programme, which is completely out of proportion to the €5 million being spent on insulation. This is far too much money and I suggest that some be moved to the insulation programme.

It is planned, according to the White Paper on energy, that 33% of our electricity consumption will come from renewables by 2020. As Senator Ó Domhnaill said, the contribution of renewables in 2006 was 8.6%, so we are significantly below the target. There is major potential in wind energy, but the difficulty with wind energy is access to the grid. Offshore energy is very much at an exploratory stage. Yesterday I visited the research section of the engineering department at UCD with the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Many alternatives to land-based wind energy are only at an exploratory research stage. Wind energy has not yet been properly exploited and the big issue is access to the grid. I ask that something be done about this.

I commend the amendment to the House. I ask Senator Ó Domhnaill and his colleagues, on reflection, to accept the amendment and admit that the motion was put down as an unfortunate rush of blood to the head, without taking cognisance of the facts.