Ireland
UK
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Sinn Féin spokesperson on Environment, Community and Local Government, Brian Stanley TD has today demanded that Minister Hogan misleading the Dáil on climate change.
Deputy Stanley said: "Minister Hogan continues to mislead the Dáil on his commitment to introducing a Climate Change Bill, which both Labour and Fine Gael committed to in the Programme for Government.
"Then, the Minster said in November 2011 that a climate change bill was not a priority. Following questioning from me this afternoon the Minister denied ever promising a Climate Change Bill for 2012.
"This is untrue, in a Dáil debate in November 30th 2011 the Minister said, 'As indicated in the government legislative programme it will be 2012 at the earliest' when legislation will be introduced.
"He then went on to confirm that the Heads of Bill would be published in December 2012 and set out a road map to achieve this. To date the government has done nothing but break promises on climate change. His road map has led the government into a cul de sac.
"Sinn Féin introduced a comprehensive climate change bill last week. This bill can easily be adopted by the Dáil. It contains all the key components of an effective bill. The bill will see the introduction of five year carbon reduction targets. These will assist in the management of Ireland's reduction of carbon emissions in a planned and phased way.
"It will see the establishment of the Climate Change Commission. This will be independent of government and will prepare an assessment of the potential impact on the state of climate change and it will review on an annual basis the progress made.
"It will advise An Taoiseach on steps to be taken to meet agreed targets. Current government Ministers Phil Hogan, Dinny McGinly and Simon Coveney supported a similar bill in 2010. It is hypocrisy of the highest order that this government will now no longer support our bill simply because they are now in government.
"Climate Change is too serious an issue to turn into a political football. I would urge Minister Hogan to reconsider his position and support our bill."
(CD/GK)
