Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

It has been stated by the UK chief Government adviser that the greatest threat to global stability is climate change and not global terrorism, as President George W. Bush is in the habit of saying. Does the Taoiseach agree that perhaps the greatest threat to the Irish economy in the medium term is the current record price of oil, which at $41.50 a barrel in New York is the highest level in 21 years and appears set to rise?

Why does the Government continue to make a name for itself internationally as being responsible for exacerbating climate change on the first count and jeopardising the economy on the second count, given our reliance on oil? Why has the Government allowed Ireland to become the seventh most oil dependent and the most car dependent country in the world? Why has the Government not required, or even incentivised, the installation of renewable energy, particularly with 70,000 houses being built per annum? There is no incentive, VAT reduction, obvious grant or even encouragement for the installation of solar water heating on all the roof space which, in other countries, is seen as a resource for harnessing renewable energy.

Has the Taoiseach given this matter any serious thought, given that in the area of wind, we have just installed 70 MW in the past three years, giving a total of 214 MW? The Government's modest target of 620 MW to be installed by December 2004 looks unlikely to be achieved. Will the Taoiseach indicate whether that is at least a target which will be achieved in 2004, whether he intends to stand over that commitment or whether it is another series of well-meaning indications that he is supportive of dealing with this dependency on oil when the evidence suggests there is no such commitment and that there is exacerbation of the situation?

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