Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he proposes to take to ensure that Ireland can cut greenhouse gas emissions and reverse the trend whereby carbon emissions are almost twice the level allocated under the Kyoto Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22232/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on the fact that the latest annual report from the European Environmental Agency has found that total EU emissions rose by 1.5% in 2003. [22332/05]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on the recent report which stated that Ireland was the sixth worst performer in the EU regarding its failure to achieve set targets under the Kyoto Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22315/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 77, 118 and 128 together.

The European Environmental Agency, EEA, report, Annual European Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2003 and Inventory Report 2005, published on 21 June 2005, collates latest available greenhouse gas emissions figures from all EU member states. Collectively, emissions of all greenhouse gases rose by 1.5% from 2002 to 2003 across the 25 member states and by 1.3% for the EU 15. Among the EU 15, Ireland is one of only two member states to have achieved reductions in its emissions over this period.

Greenhouse gas emissions figures for Ireland are compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency and published in an annual national inventory report. The latest available figures for Ireland are for 2003 and show overall emissions to be 66.57 million tonnes CO2 equivalent. This figure is equivalent to approximately 25% above 1990 levels. According to the EEA report, this is equivalent to a year on year reduction of 2.6%, showing that progress is being made towards the 13% target. The decline in Ireland has been due to a number of factors, including the closure of the IFI fertiliser plant, increased use of cleaner fuels in electricity production and continued decreases in emissions from the agriculture sector.

The national climate change strategy identifies a range of policies and measures to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors in the most efficient and equitable manner. In addition to the policies and measures set out in the strategy, progress towards meeting Ireland's Kyoto target will also be achieved through emissions reductions by installations participating in the EU emissions trading scheme which was not yet in place during the period covered by the EEA report and through Government purchase of allowances.

Work is in progress in my Department on a review of the national climate change strategy, taking account of developments since its publication in 2000. A key purpose of this review will be to ensure the adequacy of existing measures and the development, where appropriate, of additional measures. While my Department has overall responsibility for the strategy, it is a matter for Departments with direct responsibility for each sector identified in the strategy to implement the optimum mix of policies and measures to control and reduce Ireland's overall level of greenhouse gas emissions.