John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The European Council meeting of 23 and 24 March this year was very important, discussing as it did the defining issue of our age, namely, energy consumption and the effect that can have on the way we live. I refer to the concept of global warming. We need to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by about 60% to 80%. We are 25% above 1990 levels, much higher than our Kyoto commitments. That will result in fines which industry probably will not pay but which the taxpayer will have to foot. That is what we face. There is no free lunch when it comes to global warming. It is something we must face up to.

The Minister believes that we can put our heads in the sand. He is backing people and has a sweetheart deal with CRH, as Deputy Quinn has said. These people are building inferior housing throughout this country. We consume vast amounts of fuel in transport, build more motorways and there are a million and a half more cars. That is unsustainable.

About 12 years ago, when I was Lord Mayor of Dublin, I ran my car on biodiesel. This was a source of great fun for many people in the media. Certainly I was the butt of many jokes, but times have changed and I hope people have come to realise that this is an important and sustainable source of fuel. The Government has now at least introduced some grants for solar panels, woodchip burners etc., but the Minister is way to late. He needs to cop on and get moving on this.

Only Germany and Austria explicitly rejected nuclear power. This is very important. I noticed at the Convention on the Future of Europe, when we signed motions opposing nuclear power, the Irish Government would not sign for whatever reason. I am beginning to realise why this is. We have had declarations of intent from the Taoiseach, who was at pains to point out that this Government is opposed to nuclear power. He has said the EU's work on energy will not in any way affect our national policy to reject nuclear power stations. What is the national policy and where is it defined?

The Minister professes to be opposed to nuclear power. He should read the amendment of the Seventh Schedule of the Planning and Development Act 2000 by the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 which refers to a "thermal power station or other combustion installation with a total energy output of 300 megawatts or more". That is a nuclear power station and it is to be included in the Seventh Schedule. What the Minister and the Government is doing is leaving the door open for nuclear power. I am quite sure my constituents would like to know that. Certainly, my colleague, Councillor Mark Deary, will be telling a great many people that this is a Government, to use the Taoiseach's words, backing two horses in a one horse race.

The Minister is saying on the one hand that the Government is opposed to nuclear power——

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