Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As we have limited time, I propose that we might take all the questions together and then the Minister can answer them. I have two more questions for the Minister, which build on Deputy Kenny's question about the cost-benefit analysis process, the planning process and so on. I would like the Minister's view on whether there is an argument for a two-tier system. Some kinds of investments are fundamentally sustainable and others it can be argued, are not. There is an argument that for the investments we know are fundamentally sustainable and fit with our objectives, we may need to skip some of those steps. I am minded that in the case of the French economy, they seem to decide what they want and just go for it; they do not seem to go through the kinds of hoops that we put ourselves through in the interests of spending money wisely, which of course is a noble objective. When we fundamentally know something is a sustainable project, however, perhaps we should just get on with it. That is my first question. Second, I think the Department of public expenditure did some work on fossil fuel subsidies in this country last year. The Minister was going to come back on it. While I do not know whether anything has been published at this point, he might update us. Those are my questions and I will go now to Deputy Farrell.