Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Is dea-scéal é seo. This is a good news story and it is great to be able to welcome the Bill. It is welcomed by the Green Party both North and South and indeed east and west on both islands. I have just returned from Belfast where we signed an agreement to further develop co-operation in line with the Good Friday Agreement, strands 1, 2 and 3. On that basis I am familiar with the great benefits of pursuing co-operation that is practical, fair and mutually beneficial. This applies to all the people on this island and the neighbouring island.

This is an urgent matter. The Minister of State alluded to some questions on renewable energy. Ardnacrusha is familiar to Members of this House and particularly to Deputies from Limerick. Given that we are consuming energy requiring a new Ardnacrusha every six months it begs the question as to whether we are serious about facing our futures together on the island. This is a very practical consideration. If we are to avoid nuclear energy we need to develop the potential of offshore renewable energy sources in particular, North and South. I was in Blackrock, Dundalk, supporting an offshore wind farm development because of the urgency of the matter with which we are dealing. Practical lessons can be learned from the North from, for example, marine conservation in Portaferry. We are trying to build a similar centre in Balbriggan in my constituency. Considerable co-operation already exists and the Bill gives some structure to it.

There is also a question of fairness. While it may not be known — it certainly needs to be known — because so much petrol is bought South of the Border, this jurisdiction will pay €50 million per annum in Kyoto penalties for carbon dioxide emissions discharged North of the Border. This begs the question as to whether we will get our act together on the island on harmonisation to mutual advantage. Likewise, north of the Border the authorities are paying €44 million per year for illegally dumped rubbish which comes from the South. We are discussing a bread and butter financial issue as well as a peaceful and sustainable future for the island.

On the mutual benefit towards which we both need to work, it is somewhat ironic and potentially tragic that having come through a period of such turmoil, violence and tragedy, the British Government has announced a plan to reinvigorate and relaunch a new programme of nuclear weaponry. People, both North and South, need to unite on that front because it threatens us both. It would be ironic and tragic if we were to leave behind one warmongering episode and replace it with another.

I hope we will now be able to have the register of persons considered to be unsafe to work with children — another form of violence we want ended. That register has been stalled because the institutions have not been operational. I hope it will be developed along with other issues, too numerous to mention, by ensuring we have proper consultation with all sides of the House. The Opposition parties have been very patient, understanding and forgiving of the Government's secrecy on how it deals with the matters. If we are to move beyond a sectarian basis of a settlement in the North, all parties in this House need to be consulted in working to reach solutions in the future.

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