Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The public has the sense to realise that the solutions that will deliver a new green future are positive for society and the economy. The Luas service, for example, will allow for the development of enterprise, and more rail lines will benefit the economy in the future. It is ridiculous that each time the issue of our emissions and climate change is raised, the response is that the Green Party will wreck the economy. That is not the issue. Unless we reduce our use of fossil fuels, the Minister will wreck our economy because he is leaving us exposed to the future peak in global oil production.

There are a dozen changes the Minister could make tomorrow. As highlighted by this report, the fuel efficiency of vehicles is decreasing. He should ask the Minister for Finance to address this so that we begin to purchase leaner vehicles. The Minister could choose to begin building a rail line to Navan tomorrow morning instead of running a motorway through the Hill of Tara. He could build a spur to Shannon so that air passengers can access the airport by rail.

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