Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Finance the way in which his Department will be responding to the agreements reached by Ministers under the topic of current economic situation and oil at the latest ECOFIN meeting, especially the commitment to develop more effective international co-operation on energy efficiency and development of clean technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26617/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Ministers at the recent ECOFIN agreed that dialogue at EU level with major oil producing regions should be progressed. This is under way and the European Commission is looking at options to improve the transparency of oil markets with respect to available data. In respect of the agreement that Ministers should pursue policies aimed at promoting energy efficiency, any further options that emerge with respect to how international co-operation can facilitate this, will be explored fully. With respect to current international agreements, the Government is fully committed to the Kyoto Protocol and the international response to combat climate change. I am open-minded towards initiatives in the tax area which can impact positively on the environment but in reviewing any such initiatives have to be mindful of competitiveness issues and the impact of any particular measure across the overall community.