Big business must foot carbon tax bill, say Greens

CARBON taxes must be imposed on big businesses to ensure they pay most of the €5 billion in fines Ireland is facing for breaking the international greenhouse emission regulations, the Green Party insisted yesterday.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy has published proposals for taxes on fuel to cut down emissions.

Ireland must reduce carbon dioxide levels by 15m tonnes by 2012 or face up to 5bn in fines under the Kyoto Protocol international agreement.