Ireland won’t lecture US on climate bonds, says finance minister

Paschal Donohoe has said he will not pressure the United States to do more to tackle climate change.

Irish Finance Minister was speaking as US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in Dublin for a series of commitments, including a meeting with Mr Donohoe.

World leaders are also meeting at the Cop26 climate change conference in Glasgow.

Mr Donohoe praised Ireland’s close relationship with Joe Biden’s administration, but downplayed any suggestion he might ask the United States to do more to cut carbon emissions.

“I’m going to review where we are in Ireland in terms of how we want to reduce our carbon emissions. And I think when we all have to do so much together, I think we should really avoid giving lectures or describing the difficulties that other countries may have, ”he said on Monday.

“President Biden and Secretary Yellen are very much aware of the United States’ obligation to reduce its carbon emissions because I am a member of the Irish government for Ireland.

“And I think we’re going to focus on what we can do together and recognize the great difficulty there is sometimes in doing what we want to do.”

Mr Donohoe has declared that he will not be one of the Irish ministers present at Cop26.

“The budget finance bill begins this week. This finance bill includes measures to increase carbon taxation.

“I think these are the kind of concrete and practical contributions we can make here in Ireland to improve our carbon performance, and the government will be represented by a range of other members of government during this time,” did he declare. told RTE radio.

“The range of government ministers present is a testament to the importance we place on what is happening in Glasgow. I have to present our budget legislation this week in the Dail, and since carbon taxation is a very important part of it, I think it’s best to spend my time on that. “

Mr Donohoe was asked if he regretted overseeing the expansion of the Irish dairy herd.

“Looking back over the past decade and the many challenges we have faced and faced, expanding our dairy herd wouldn’t be one of the things that causes me the most anxiety, given everything what we have. have been through over the decades, ”he said.

He declined to comment on the hypothesis that agriculture could be asked to cut emissions by 20-30% over the next decade, as part of Ireland’s climate targets.

“It is true that we will ask our farmers to play a role, and an important role, in how we reduce our emissions. But we will ask everyone to do it. And we are particularly aware of the needs and challenges associated with Irish agriculture, ”he said.