Fears for development funds as climate change deal likely to cost €180m a year

A PROPOSED international climate change treaty is likely to cost Ireland €180 million a year as richer nations agree to fund poorer ones to help them reduce their carbon emissions.

The opposition yesterday expressed concern that this would eat into the Government’s already tightened overseas development aid budget.

Environment Minister John Gormley said he hopes “creative accounting” is not used to take away development funds given to third world countries, but he has not yet secured agreement from his cabinet colleagues on where the money would be found.