Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, along with his EU colleagues, he has quantified the economic impact on Ireland and the EU of proposals to combat climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43291/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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In January, the European Commission proposed a legislative package for the implementation of the EU's objectives on climate change and renewable energy for 2020. This package included key policy proposals for the revision of the EU Emissions Trading System, the sharing of effort by Member States to meet the Community's greenhouse gas emissions commitments, and the promotion of renewable energy. Accompanying these proposals to the European Parliament and the Council, the European Commission also published an impact assessment of various elements of the package.

The impact assessment has estimated that the EU's GDP in 2020 would be 0.68% lower than the 2020 baseline, where EU GDP is estimated to grow by 38% by 2020 compared to 2005. The impact assessment also estimated that Ireland's GDP in 2020 would be 0.80% lower than the 2020 baseline, where Ireland's GDP is estimated to grow by 54% by 2020 compared to 2005.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to bring about a CO2 reduction; if it is intended to meet EU or Irish targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43292/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 1 of 23 October 2008, in which I outlined the range of work underway, and addressed in my second Carbon Budget in October 2008, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol, and the longer-term.