Vol. 415 No. 8
303 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment his views on whether the EC will be in a position to stabilise CO 2 emissions by the year 2000 at 1990 levels in view of the agreement recently reached in respect of this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
319 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment if he proposes to introduce carbon and energy tax in view of the recent decision of the EC Council of Ministers regarding this matter; if he will exempt any sector from this tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
320 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the mechanism which he proposes to put in place for the creation of a financial instrument for environmental protection in view of a recent EC Council of Ministers decision; if he will outline his proposals, if any, for the implementation of this energy tax in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 303, 319 and 320 together.
The question of a carbon or energy tax in the context of the overall Community strategy to limit CO 2 emissions was discussed at an EC Joint Energy and Environment Council on 13 December 1991 and at the ECOFIN Council on 16 December 1991. Copies of the agreed conclusions are available in the Oireachtas Library.
The conclusions provide that further studies must be carried out by the EC Commission on the impact in member states of the proposed carbon/energy tax. Until such time as these studies have been completed and the tax proposal has been considered further at Council level, it would be premature to comment on questions of implementation.
