Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2006
50 Mr. Curran asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the European Commission’s decision on Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions national allocation plan; and the way the decision on Ireland’s plan compared to the plans submitted by the other EU member states. [42649/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraI welcome the European Commission's conditional acceptance of Ireland's second national allocation plan, which was announced on 29 November. This is the first stage in a process that will enable us to make a final decision on the allocation of allowances to operators in the emissions trading sector for the period 2008-12. The Commission's approach to our plan recognises that Ireland was one of the few member states which carried out the allocation process correctly in the first national allocation plan in 2004 and we have followed the same approach in the second plan.
The Commission has raised a number of issues in the plan, to which Ireland must respond by 31 December. In particular, it considers that Ireland has not fully substantiated its proposals for Government purchases of carbon allowances, which I addressed in the Dáil last week, and it expects transport emissions to increase by more than we have projected. On foot of these concerns, the Commission seeks a reduction of 6.4% in our proposed allocation of allowances to the emissions trading sector.
In my response to the Commission, I will be able to provide considerably more substantiation of our arrangements for Government purchases. Following the approval of the Dáil on 30 November, I signed a contract with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for €20 million to secure carbon allowances. Last Friday, I published the Carbon Fund Bill 2006 and this is scheduled for Second Stage debate on Thursday, 14 December. I will seek Dáil approval this week to enter into agreement with the World Bank with a view to an investment of a further €20 million. I have also responded on the question of transport emissions and on a number of issues of a technical nature which were raised by the Commission.
Ireland's response will inform the Commission's further consideration of our plan and I believe we will reach agreement on an allocation closer to what was originally proposed in final discussions with the Commission.
I appreciate that the Minister must make the submission by 31 December but I wish to ask about the transport allowances to which he referred. The Minister for Finance made specific reference in the budget last week to the fact that he intended to review the manner in which car tax is paid, moving away from the current system based on cubic capacity to one based on emissions. Will that form part of the submission the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, will make?
I do not accept that the Commission's approach to the transport allocation is correct. The national allocation plan, when read with the ICF Consulting-Byrne Ó Cléirigh report of 2006 which underpins it, very clearly sets out information on projections, policies and measures for the transport sector. These do not appear to have been fully taken into account. I held only a very brief conversation with the Commissioner but I will make that point. I will also draw the Commissioner's attention to the fact that the transport sector is clearly dealt with in Ireland's Pathway to Kyoto Compliance, which was drawn to the attention of the Commission following its publication.
In general, the Commission's response to Ireland's second national allocation plan was very positive.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
