Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I am baffled why the Taoiseach regards Ireland as being so much in the doghouse with the European Commission. Finland, the Czech Republic, Austria, the UK, Germany, France and Italy can all move ahead whereas Ireland is waiting patiently. There is more energy and interest from this Government in the stallion tax than in the livelihoods of people who are affected by an economic downturn in agriculture. I ask the Taoiseach to give this matter his full attention. There is catching up to be done. There is no quota for biofuel. The Carlow sugar factory is processing 660,000 tonnes per annum. Those farmers are looking at a very bleak future while the Taoiseach talks about waiting in the wings for the European Commission to do something about it while other countries have managed to garner huge——

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