Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on his Department's emissions trading policy. [22566/06]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the effectiveness of the new limits on greenhouse gas production will be in helping to meet Ireland's Kyoto targets; his views on whether the new limits are stringent enough to act as an incentive to business to reduce emissions; and if his Department or any other State body carried out research to ascertain the expected effectiveness of the new limits in encouraging businesses to reduce emissions. [22472/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 101 together.

Participation by Irish installations in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, as required under Directive 2003/87/EC, is a key element of Ireland's overall approach to meeting its target for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol. The other elements are a programme of measures to achieve emission reductions throughout the economy (as set out in the National Climate Change Strategy) and use of the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms to purchase credits arising from carbon reductions elsewhere in the world.

In relation to the next trading period (2008-2012) under the EU Scheme, the Government has decided that the trading installations in Ireland will be allocated just over 23 million allowances per annum over the five years. This is equivalent to 88% of their projected emissions on a business as usual basis. The allocation by the Government was informed by independent analysis of projections and cost-effective emission-reduction measures available to the sector carried out by ICF Consulting and Byrne Ó Cléirigh. A copy of the consultants' report Determining the Share of National Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Emissions Trading in Ireland 2008-2012 is available on my Department's website www.environ.ie. The emission reductions to be made by the trading sector in Ireland in the 2008-2012 period are equivalent to about 3 million tonnes or some 42% of our projected distance to its target under the Kyoto Protocol.

I am satisfied that this allocation achieves an appropriate balance between the important environmental objectives involved and the need to protect the competitiveness of the economy.