Dáil debates

Wednesday, 6 December 2006

6:00 pm

Photo of Dan BoyleDan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

With regard to environmental measures, it is a turquoise budget. It does not come close to tackling the environment needs in this country and the measures we should take. There are approximately €300 million in expenditure measures in the budget, committed to by the Government, and 10% of the money, €30 million, will be spent on either existing or new initiatives to meet many of our environmental responsibilities. Some 90% of the money will be going out of this country as environmental fines as a result of the failure of ongoing Government policies on the environment.

Despite what the Minister for Finance stated about 2 million jobs in the eco-industries in the EU, we could be producing jobs. We could have considered recycling and energy technology industries. Instead, the Minister is choosing to pay the fines rather than work within the country to improve our environment and society's involvement in that work. The Government is introducing measures such as that in the Dáil last week which put in place a "Borat buyout". We are prepared to help projects in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan or anywhere but here.

That is particularly true with regard to measures we must take on transport. The Government has put on the long finger measures to change VRT and motor taxation, the ultimate in cynicism. It has sent out a letter and by 2008, after the next general election, the measures might be put in place.

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