At their weekend conference, the Progressive Democrats rightly stressed the need to tackle high insurance costs. However, I worry that the Government appears unwilling to accept any link between costs of insurance for flooding and climate change. On Question Time earlier today, I pointed out to the Taoiseach that he must understand that radical action in this area is needed. However, it is difficult to accept that the Government is serious when on "Morning Ireland" the Minister for the Environment and Local Government confuses the ozone layer with the greenhouse effect while the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, tries to claim that the flooding last year was exceptional and that with the current spell of dry weather everything is fine again.

I ask the Government to heed the expert view of the International Panel on Climate Change or, closer to home, Dr. John Sweeney of the NUI in Maynooth, who stress that the extremes of weather in terms of flooding and drought are to be expected with climate change and that this is happening around the world. Notwithstanding the call by the IPCC that there is a need for a 60% cut in CO2 emissions world-wide, I ask the Government to look seriously at how it is failing to comply even with its agreed allowance of 13% growth in CO2 emissions for the period 2008-12 over 1990 levels.

I know the Taoiseach will respond by saying we have a national climate change strategy. Is there a replacement in the climate change strategy for the fact that Moneypoint is not now to be converted to gas? Is there any way of dealing with the fact that there was an expectation that 3.5 million tonnes, or 30% of the overall 15 million tonnes in the strategy, was to be accounted for by the conversion of the Moneypoint generating plant to the use of gas? Now that this will not happen, what will the Government do to save that 3.5 million tonnes which will not now be saved given that Moneypoint will remain fuelled by coal?

I dealt with this matter earlier today on Question Time. In response to a question by Deputy Sargent, I said the Government would review the national climate change strategy to ensure that we have adequate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to meet our obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. To the best of my knowledge, no provision has been made to deal with the Moneypoint initiative. However, we must continue to fulfil our obligations and the Government is committed to this approach.

We are failing in this area.

The Minister for the Environment and Local Government and the Minster for Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources have outlined a series of measures to be taken in terms of implementing European Union energy directives, dealing with both gas and other fuels, and they will continue to do so.

We are failing in just about every area.

Deputy Sargent cannot delegate his supplementary questions to Deputy Ryan.

We have proposed a number of measures which are included in the national climate change strategy and we have indicated they will be reviewed to ensure we meet our targets. Deputy Sargent does not accept we have reviewed, and are in the process of implementing, the strategy, but that is the Government's position.

The Taoiseach should not mislead the House. He says we will continue to comply with our obligations. However, by 2000, Ireland was already 24% over the 1990 levels. That figure is increasing rapidly, even though 13% was the limit set for 2008. Will the Taoiseach indicate if there is to be a clear indication of what will replace the input of the Moneypoint generator in the national strategy? To say that the strategy will be reviewed does not answer my question. There will be no replacement of Moneypoint, according to the Taoiseach. Will the Taoiseach change the transport policy whereby the cost ratio of roads to public transport is 5:1? Will he consider the cut in tax incentives for wind energy which we discussed earlier and the reliance on incineration which will pump further CO2 into the atmosphere?

Will the Taoiseach face up to the fact that Ireland will be fined an estimated €1.2 billion per year if the current rate of emissions continues? That money should be spent on crime, health, education and in many other areas. The Government is set to squander it simply because it cannot face the reality of the challenge it signed up to at Kyoto. Will the Taoiseach say what he intends to examine in the review which is forthcoming? What will replace Moneypoint in the short-term, given that it will be fuelled by coal according to the ESB?

The Deputy will be aware from answers given earlier that Moneypoint will switch to gas. On taxation—

Not according to the ESB.

It will not switch to gas.

I explained the wind energy position earlier. An examination of wind energy is under way. The Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Environment and Local Government have been considering proposals to provide investors with new means of engaging in wind energy production profitably. Without some subsidisation, it will not work.

That is the end of that.

It is a bit like café society.

I told Deputy Sargent previously that it is the Government's intention to publish a position paper on what we can do in all areas of energy. While it is difficult to fulfil the Kyoto protocol, we are obliged to do so.

We are not doing so.

The Taoiseach is failing.

The figures have been worked out for the next few years. We are moving to a position and it is an obligation we have to fulfil. The Government has set out the way in which we will achieve that. Deputies may not agree that we can achieve our goals, but we have to work towards them like any other country.