Government is accused on `greenhouse' gases

The Government is showing "scant regard" for its legally-binding commitments to reduce "greenhouse" gases, an Irish MEP, Ms Avril Doyle (FG), has claimed.

Speaking during a European Parliament debate on climate change, which is believed to be caused by such gases, Ms Doyle said the Republic was abusing its privileged position after it was one of few countries allowed to increase air emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.

She said current predictions were that the State's emissions by 2010 would be 40 per cent above 1990 levels, not 13 per cent as had been agreed. "Rather than respecting this privilege, it has been abused by inaction and complacency," she added.

She said Irish prevarication on Kyoto was reducing the EU's ability to maintain a tough stance on emission levels in the face of US intransigence. "Greenhouse gases are no respecters of national boundaries," she said.

EU governments needed to give a clearer definition to the range and objectives of energy taxes being considered. "There must be assurances that revenues from such prospective taxes will be used to achieve environmental objectives."

The Green MEP, Ms Nuala Ahern, said Europe was sending out all the wrong signals on the need to reduce "greenhouse" gases as it was failing to adequately fund energy-saving programmes.

In a report to parliament she criticised a proposed cutback in the EU's SAVE II programme which aims to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. It supports measures to insulate buildings, improve energy efficiency and optimise heating systems.

Commenting after the Council of Europe proposed a funding reduction up to 2002, she said it was the only programme which directly addressed the objective of the Kyoto Protocol. It had also to be placed in the context of modest achievements in Europe in reducing "greenhouse" gases.

She said more ambitious targets needed to be set. "There is a strong case for the target of yearly improving of energy saving to be 1.5 per cent rather than 1 per cent, as council proposes."

The parliament backed calls for funding of at least €68 million. There would be a direct financial return based on the extent of funding, Ms Ahern assured MEPs.