Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

In more general terms, on the environment we have made progress on many fronts, including enhancing public transport facilities under Transport 21; setting an ambitious target of 30% electricity generation from renewable sources; making rapid improvements in drinking water quality; significantly increasing high-quality waste water treatment capacity resulting in 90% compliance with EU standards this year from 25% in 2000 — as a result, pollutant loads to our waters have been reduced by 45,000 metric tonnes per year; increasing municipal waste recycling rates from 9% in 1998 to over 34%, which figure is increasing; introducing a major excise relief scheme for bio-fuels, costing in excess of €200 million over five years——

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