Labour bill makes Cowen responsible for CO2 pledges

The Irish Times

by MARK HENNESSY,

TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen would be made personally responsible for meeting Ireland's international pledges to cut carbon dioxide emissions under Labour Party legislation to be published tomorrow.

Ireland has made commitments to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 under a deal reached between EU member states in December.

However, the Labour Party argues that Ireland is failing to meet its obligations because responsibility is shared among four Ministers.

Party leader Eamon Gilmore will launch a draft 36-section Climate Change Bill, along with TDs, Liz McManus, Tommy Broughan and Joanna Tuffy, tomorrow afternoon.

"Ireland is making international obligations, but it doesn't have the mechanism to actually make it happen," said Liz McManus, the party's environment spokeswoman.

Under the Labour plan, the Taoiseach of the day would be made responsible for meeting the targets, and forced to answers in the Dáil.

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