I'm not afraid to take action on emissions vows Varadkar

Pledge on climate crisis targets

-  FERGHAL BLANEY

LEO Varadkar has denied he is afraid to take tough political decisions to meet targets on emissions reductions.

The Taoiseach was speaking after more disappointing predictions from the Environmental Protection Agency which forecasts the country will miss crucial 2050 targets.

The EPA's latest forecast grimly predicts that if all the Government's environmental policies and measures hit their targets, Ireland will still only score a 29% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

This will be well short of the legally binding 51% reduction target Ireland has signed up to.