Opposition parties have accused the Green Party of failing on its pledge to reduce carbon emissions while in office.
This follows Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan’s admission that the Government faces “real difficulties” in reducing emissions.
Mr Ryan was responding to projections from the Economic and Social Research Institute which suggest that emissions may have increased by almost 5 per cent in 2007.
Fine Gael’s energy spokesman Simon Coveney said the forecasts indicate a dramatic rise in Ireland’s emissions and “are proof of Government inaction in the area of reduction, despite the Green rhetoric”.
Mr Coveney said: “This is an extremely worrying development for many reasons, not least the prospect of having to purchase carbon allowances on the open market in order to compensate for increasing emissions at a time when taxpayers’ money is scarce.
“Instead of a specific Government response, which is what we need, we get the usual lecture on the need to reduce emissions and the need to create green collar jobs,” he said.
Labour’s Seanad spokesman on energy said Michael McCarthy said Mr Ryan’s admission was a clear indication that the Greens are failing to make any real impact in Government.
Mr McCarthy said: “The Greens have placed too much emphasis on merely highlighting the issue of climate change when what was needed, were measures that would actually improve our environment and so improve our quality of life.”
While official figures for 2007 will not become available until the end of the year, analysis by Prof Richard Tol of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) estimates that emissions will increase by 4.6 per cent in 2007 compared to 2006.
Dr Tol's projections are based on mathematical modelling he has developed.
If this turns out to be the case, it will have implications for the commitment in the Programme for Government to reduce greenhouse emissions by 3 per cent each year during the lifetime of the coalition - a key concession won by the Greens during the Government negotiations.