Michael Finneran (Longford-Roscommon, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy was given the opportunity to speak earlier. I ask for the protection of the Chair so that I can make my contribution.

I have every confidence the Bill will not be enacted because the common sense of this House and the other House will not allow it to be enacted. The Bill, if enacted, would cause the farming community in my constituency, for which I speak, to retract and reduce to the extent that our contribution to the local economy would be reduced so much that farming would no longer be important. The farming sector directly employs 8,000 people in County Roscommon and more are employed indirectly. The Bill would have a detrimental effect on the major processing plants in the county, such as the Elan Corporation in south Roscommon, Masonite on the Roscommon-Leitrim border and Shannonside in Ballaghadereen. Without question the Electricity Supply Board's power stations in Lanesborough and Shannonbridge would be affected. These are facts that cannot be disputed.

The economics of this Bill have not been fully thought through. If Ireland were to commit to targets such as proposed in this Bill, the emissions reduction would have to come from somewhere unspecified. The Green Party and other speakers in favour of this Bill did not tell the House where these would come from. I will outline how emissions reduction of this magnitude can only be achieved. It can only be achieved by such a reduction in herd numbers that Ireland could become a net importer of food. It can only be achieved by the closing down of any Irish industry with carbon emissions, such as the closing down of the cement industry and forcing the ESB either to close down all its plants or to increase massively the cost of electricity to consumers. This would make the country completely unattractive for any further foreign direct investment. The price of petrol and diesel would become so costly that the ordinary motorist could not afford to run a car and hauliers could not afford to run a business.

I can accept that the Green Party is very sincere in moving this Bill. However, I am amazed to see other parties lining up to support it. I can only conclude that they have not read the Bill or they have completely failed to understand its meaning. I fail to understand the involvement of other Opposition parties in support of this Bill.

I have listened over the years to the nonsense from the Green Party regarding issues that are important to this country and to my constituency, particularly regarding one-off rural housing, live exports and power production from peat extraction in the midlands. The Green Party objected to the power station in my constituency of Roscommon-Longford——

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