Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

In every great journey, the first step is the most important, and we have taken several important first steps. People talk about the bigger picture, but sometimes the smaller picture can add to the bigger picture. The smaller picture is sometimes as important, as I thought last night when I walked the two miles to where I stay and saw the number of people stuck in their cars who were making probably a very small journey.

We talk about the rising price of petrol and diesel and the use of cars. One of the first things that we have to do is think about the small steps that we can take to reduce the number of times we use our car and go for that walk when we can rather than creating more traffic. I do not underestimate the fact that one of the biggest industries in my constituency is in selling diesel and petrol, with many people coming from the Six Counties not only to see our beautiful area but to avail themselves of the cheaper petrol. A big step is needed to get fit by getting out of our cars and using our feet and walking or cycling rather than always driving. Last week someone called in to collect me from Monkstown. It took one hour and 15 minutes to come in and one hour and 10 minutes to go back out. I could have walked it faster.

Windmills as a source of energy are being supported in many parts, and I hope that continues in areas such as Donegal which I am told has the best wind potential in the country. I want to put on notice that a windmill was applied for in the Tunes Plateau near Lough Foyle. I do not think wind energy has to be accepted just because it is wind energy. In areas where there is a natural sea fishery, that can be as important as the ability to have wind energy. In those situations, the sea has uses. There is tidal power and there are other hydro schemes that would be as efficient and not as intrusive as windmills in that location.

Why do we not use the sea more for freight? While we have invested a significant amount of money in harbours and piers, I still think there is an opportunity to maximise the use of freight by sea rather than road. At the same time, I accept that fishermen and boating companies alike suffer from the same issue of rising fuel costs, but it is something that should be examined. It also comes within the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

The natural gas link from Dublin to Belfast and the one from Belfast to Derry have been very important in giving alternative sources of energy. Will the Minister continue that pipeline from Belfast through Derry and on into Donegal because we would benefit in our energy uses from that? There are other ways in which to reduce the freight costs by using the train system. We have a very good Dublin-Belfast service, but it could also lead on to Derry, and there could be a Dubln-Derry freight service via rail which would provide alternative transport to the significant investment that we have given Derry through the airport, which has improved access anyway.

While we have had significant and important improvements in public transport within Dublin with the Luas, for example, at the same time there is the alternative of people using their feet rather than driving short distances. They can do that in their own areas and not just in the big cities.

I commend the Government on the insulation grant and the different grants that have been made available down the years to improve old houses to make them more energy efficient. I congratulate the Government on the €27 million spend on the recent environmentally friendly homes initiative. That is very important. I was asked recently by a person who is going to build a home next year whether water turbines would be included as well as the current parameters. It is important that all aspects of environmentally friendly energy saving issues be examined.

I encourage more forestry and welcome the Minister's remarks on biofuels. I raised the issue today with Commissioner Fischer Boel because it is important that the drive to biofuels is not at the total expense of people moving out of food agriculture into biofuels. I commend the Government on what it is doing. There is still a way to go, but we are going in the right direction.

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