Ireland promotes 30% emissions cut

IRELAND made the case to work towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 30% rather than the 20% already agreed when the Taoiseach addressed the summit of EU leaders in Brussels last night.

At the same time Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pushed for greater flexibility in the way the reductions would be achieved by 2020 in an effort to reduce the pressure on Ireland.

He warned too of the danger of losing energy intensive industry, such as cement manufacturing, to other countries with less stringent rules, and said there must be incentives to keep them while reducing their emissions.