The Government must concentrate on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to make sure it meets its Kyoto obligations, the Green Party said today.
The party is launching a private members bill which calls for regular targets to put Ireland on track to reducing its output of the polluting gases by 60-80 per cent by 2050.
The bill, which aims to ensure Ireland fulfils its commitments to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, will be debated in the Dáil tomorrow.
Environment spokesman Ciaran Cuffe, who is launching the bill with Energy spokesman Eamon Ryan and Party Chairman John Gormley today, said it looked like Ireland 's emissions were going to have increased by twice the agreed level by 2012.
In 1997, the Government committed to letting its emissions increase by no more than 13 per cent above 1990 levels, but the country is currently in line to be 25-30 per cent above the 1990 figures, Mr Cuffe said.
"We are launching the bill on the eve of the UN climate change meeting in Montreal to concentrate the mind of the Irish government to reducing the climate change gases," he said.
Mr Cuffe said it appeared most opposition TDs would vote for the measure, and the Green Party had met with Minister for the Environment Dick Roche, who understood the importance of the issue. "We're hoping that the bill will get a good airing in the Dáil," he said.
PA