Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the findings of the Environmental Protection Agency that sea levels around Ireland will rise by six meters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13435/07]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his view on the latest climate change report from the Environmental Protection Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13434/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 40 together.

The recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency demonstrates the seriousness of the threat posed by climate change.

The EPS report clearly identifies a range of impacts on Ireland that could result from sustained temperature increases. These include increased river and coastal flooding, water shortages in summer, negative impacts on water quality, changes in the distribution and viability of species in Ireland, and serious potential impacts on Irish fish stocks.

These impacts highlight the urgent need for a global response to climate change. The Government strongly supported the EU's call for a global and comprehensive post-2012 agreement consistent with meeting the 2 Celsius objective. In this regard, the Government has endorsed the EU's proposal to commit to a reduction of 30% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990 as its contribution to a global and comprehensive post-2012 agreement, provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emissions reductions and economically more advanced developing countries adequately contribute to the global effort.

Notwithstanding the significant international efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, some change in the global climate system is inevitable due to current and historic emissions. Potential impacts in Ireland are already being addressed in a number of policy-making areas. The Government has appointed the Office of Public Works as the lead agency to implement flooding policy in Ireland, which includes a combination of structural works where flooding is already a problem, non-structural measures and awareness raising. Local authorities now have the power to consider adaptation initiatives in relation to their development plans and to provide that development in areas at risk of flooding may be regulated, restricted or controlled.

The National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 commits the Government to developing a national adaptation strategy by 2009, to provide a framework for the integration of adaptation issues into decision-making at national and local level.