The Taoiseach is being urged to sign up to achievable climate change goals as he attends the Climate Change Conference in Paris.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams made the call and said the Irish government's approach to climate change has not been good.

Mr Adams said: "The island of Ireland is already experiencing significant climate change. Six of the warmest years we have experienced have occurred in the last 25 years. Scientists are predicting that Ireland faces not just a rise in sea level but water shortages, adverse impacts on water quality and changes in the distribution of plant and animal species.

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"An ambitious deal in Paris is therefore very much in all our interests.

"The state will not reach the 20% reduction in emissions that it previously signed up to. When I raised this issue with the Taoiseach last week he acknowledged that we face fines of between five and six billion euro if the state cannot meet the likely climate change goals that will emerge from Paris."

(CD/MH)