Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 3 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 1

Written Answers. - Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

369 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the advice he has given to local authorities to assist them in their efforts to comply with the Kyoto Protocol; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20185/01]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

Chapter 10 of the National Climate Change Strategy of November 2000 deals with the role of local authorities, including in relation to waste management and awareness raising, in contributing to achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade to ensure compliance with our Kyoto target.

The Minister, Deputy Dempsey, jointly with the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Deputy Jacob, wrote in March 2001 to local authorities urging commencement of work to implement, in so far as they are concerned, the recommendations of the Strategy for Intensifying Wind Energy Deployment prepared by the Renewable Energy Strategy Group for the Minister of State, Deputy Jacob.

The Minister and Minister of State also jointly wrote to local authorities in March 2000 encouraging them to apply to the EU under the then current SAVE programme for funding to estab lish local energy management agencies, and, where such agencies were already established, to reinforce their support for them.