Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

Potential yes. Drainage is actually a tricky issue. One would not get drainage though the Commission in the RDP.

I probably should not put that on the record. I think we would find it very difficult to persuade it.

Drainage has been a traditional issue in Ireland. Drainage on the wrong kind of land causes a lot of carbon emissions. When peatlands are drained, what actually happens is that a significant amount of carbon is emitted - I do not have the figures with me. This point has been made to me by our EPA experts. The Commission is very conscious of this issue. Drainage is a tricky subject in Europe in terms of getting things cleared. I am not saying "No"; it is not my role to say that. Rather, it is a policy issue. I cannot say "yay" or "nay", but I can definitely say that we would struggle with the Commission.