Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy should hold on and listen if he wants to hear my answer. He said I have not applied for approval, but approval is being applied for. The Commission must give its approval and we hope to have that in the coming months. I do not expect it will take 18 months as it did the last time.

I am tired of people coming into the House in a panic and asking why I have not done this, that or the other on directives. Even when we abide by EU regulations and requirements, the Opposition has another crib. What I have introduced, excise relief for 163 million litres of biofuels, is 20 times better than what was in place previously. I have implemented the full requirement I received from the line Department and we must get the initiative up and running. It will be done on that basis.

I presume flexible fuel vehicles imported individually rather than through dealerships would have the benefit of the VRT relief, but I will have to verify it. I do not have the information in front of me, but I will check it for the Deputy.

Rather than belittle the situation, which I suppose he will do anyway, the Deputy, since he is the green man, so to speak, should advocate to people the adoption of flexible fuel or hybrid electric vehicles. That would be a more constructive approach rather than trying to misrepresent my position when I have already made an application for this approval.

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