Announcing the measures Minister Donohoe commented: “Climate change is the defining challenge of our generation and it is vital that the public sector leads by example in meeting this challenge. Offsetting emissions is no substitute for changing our behaviour and actually reducing the emissions we produce. However, by increasing the cost of Government air travel and taking this cost from existing travel budgets, it will incentivise Departments to reduce their air travel, while all of the funds raised will go towards new investments in Ireland that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”