Most environmental indicators for Ireland show a marked improvement, writes Bertie Ahern.
In an article last Friday, your Environment Editor took the Government and Fianna Fáil to task on its delivery of environmental commitments.
Fianna Fáil is proud of what has been achieved in the environmental area over the past 10 years.
Government initiative has been joined by an enthusiastic public in making a real difference to Ireland's environmental performance.
It has been a matter of satisfaction to me that, in a period of record economic and population growth, most environmental indicators for Ireland show a marked improvement.
In fact, we cannot sustain our economic prosperity unless we protect our environment.
This Government's record of achievement is based on the straightforward philosophy of environmental policies that work.
We do not rely on pipe dreams which wait for perfect solutions - such as zero waste - an approach which only encourages inaction.
Our emphasis is on taking action that delivers real results.
Such results include:
•A quadrupling in waste recycling rates over our 10 years in office.
•Meeting national targets eight years ahead of deadline.
•A world-leading plastic-bag levy.
•A new electrical waste-recycling scheme which recycled more than two million televisions, fridges, computers and so on in its first year, as well as creating 300 new jobs in Ireland.
•An increase in urban waste water discharge compliance from 25 per cent to over 90 per cent in six years, thanks to investment of €3.7 billion in our water services over the last National Development Plan.
•Full compliance with all EU ambient air-quality standards, thanks to strict emissions controls on vehicles and industry.
•A 96.7 per cent compliance with drinking-water standards.
These are just a few key highlights of Ireland's environmental progress in recent years.
But the job is not finished.
Over the next few years, we will deal with the remaining gap in drinking-water quality as part of our € 4.7 billion water services investment under the National Development Plan.
We will also ensure that our rivers and lakes return to pristine condition through action taken under the Nitrates Action Plan and the river basin management plans.
Climate change is obviously the biggest challenge facing Ireland and the world.
The EU heads of government have thrown down the challenge to the rest of the developed world to join Europe in achieving a 30 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.
In the absence of such agreement, we in Europe committed ourselves to reductions of 20 per cent.
Ireland fully supports, and is part of, this initiative.
Our commitment to the climate change agenda does not rely on rhetoric.
Fianna Fáil has delivered in this area as follows:
•We have improved the building energy conservation standards three times since 1997 and are committed to a further 40 per cent increase in energy conservation in new homes into the future.
•We have capped the C02 emissions of our major industries through their inclusion in the EU emissions trading scheme.
•Our motor tax and vehicle registration tax systems are heavily biased towards smaller-engined cars which generally emit less CO2 (more so than in most countries) with a direct link to emissions to be introduced next year.
•We have provided tax incentives for bio-fuels and for electric and hybrid cars.
•The Greener Homes grant scheme, which supports homeowners to switch to solar panels and other renewable energy-based heating systems, has been a runaway success. This initiative was complemented by new planning exemptions which we introduced this month.
•We have increased incentives for afforestation.
•Budget 2007 provided €15 million over three years to encourage the production of bio-energy crops.
Fianna Fáil is committed to using the taxation system to reward good environmental behaviour and discourage poor practice.
Practical examples include the landfill and plastic bag levies and the structure of our vehicle taxation systems.
However, we will not be blinded by ideology to press ahead with policies that do not deliver.
This Government's decision not to introduce a more general carbon tax seems wise now - a 30 per cent increase in fuel prices over the past two years has had no noticeable impact on fuel consumption.
Our current measures will ensure that Ireland will meet its Kyoto commitment on greenhouse gas emissions.
However, we must intensify these measures to deal with the greater challenges which lie ahead.
That is why we have set very ambitious targets to deliver one-third of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020 and to increase energy efficiency and to require the public service to set the example in this area.