Mary Flaherty
Ceist:3 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Energy if he will make a statement outlining his views on the recommendation of the EC Energy and Environmental Commissioners to add a $10 tax to oil prices.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Energy Tax on Oil.
I believe the Deputy is referring to a paper dealing with options to limit CO2 emissions which was presented informally and personally by the Commissioner for the Environment at the Environment Council last December. The Council noted the presentation of the paper which, inter alia, contained a suggestion for an energy tax of about $10 per barrel of oil and equivalent tax on other carbon fuels.
As the paper has not been adopted by the Commission it would be inappropriate to comment on its proposal at this time or until the proposals are formally presented for discussion.
I am anxious to have the Minister's and the Government's view on whether the taxing of oil would be appropriate. As I understand it, the main objective put forward when recommending this measure was to cut fossil fuel emissions and to reduce global warming. Would the Minister indicate his view on that proposal which was mooted and may be coming up for serious consideration?
I do not consider it appropriate to pre-empt proposals and discussions on such matters that are pending formal proposal from the Commission. As a general observation, I could say that unless measures of this type are adopted universally by economies such as the US and Japan, then the adjustment cost could mean loss of jobs here and in other member states of the Community, and this, of course, would be unacceptable.