Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Burke for his reply. It was an honest one. I tire of listening to those who take the moral high ground speak of reducing carbon footprints and the like on the planet and moving the cost of global warming from the rich western world to the poorer parts of the world. The policies need to change in that they need to have a massive human rights aspect to them. When it comes to mining for cobalt, for example, unless the mining is done under exactly the same conditions as it would be done under European conditions and unless health and safety is met all the way through, we should not manufacture electric cars to travel 30 km in order to see children's lives destroyed. Similarly, I just cannot subscribe to growing crops to provide fuel when many millions of people in this world are starving or living in poverty. I therefore find it difficult to live with those who take the moral high ground on sustainable energy and the reduction of carbon footprints. I fully accept what Mr. Burke says, that is, that we have to reduce our carbon footprint in order to save this planet, but we must also save the inhabitants and citizens of the planet, particularly those who pay the highest cost. I thank Mr. Burke for his presentation but I would like that message to go out from this meeting.