Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I completely agree with Mr. Ewing's right to hold his views but disagree profoundly with some of them, naturally. The problem with alliances, as we know, is that they cover an amorphous mass of views and seem to contain within them the view that suits everybody's particular menu. Of course, the view that suits everyone's menu suits none.

There are two or three points I wish to make. The first concerns our economy's dependency on food production and the carbon emissions caused by food production. Balance in this regard comes from forestry, grass and various other growing processes. The percentage of any economy in any country that is dependent entirely on fossil fuels is the issue we need to address. We can do so. The way we can replace the fossil fuel economy in Ireland is by replacing production methods associated with fossil fuels.

I am not a supporter of the nuclear industry, about which my colleague has spoken. I do not support it because I believe the residue is impossible to deal and has never been dealt with.