Yesterday’s budget has failed to make provisions for Ireland’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gases as outlined in the Kyoto agreement, according to Fine Gael.
Fine Gael spokeswoman on environmental protection, Ms Deirdre Clune TD, said that despite Fianna Fáil’s National Climate Change Strategy, the Government has failed in the past five budgets to encourage the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
"The Government has been involved in lengthy international negotiations and made global commitments to reduce greenhouse gases," Ms Clune said. "But Budget 2002 does nothing for climate change."
According to Ms Clune, the introduction of a tax on sulpher-based fuels is pointless as sulpher is not considered a greenhouse gas.
"Minister McCreevy introduced a tax on sulphur-based fuels and attempted to pass it of as an attempt to address climate change," she added.
"Unfortunately he got it wrong. Sulphur is not a greenhouse gas. He was badly briefed by the environment minister and both have failed miserably in implementing their strategy."