Fiona O'Malley (Dún Laoghaire, Progressive Democrats)

——and an indigenous industry being developed.

Earlier this week, the Minister made a commitment to ensure that bio-fuels will represent 5.75% of Ireland's transport fuel market by 2009. This, however, should not be the limit of our ambition; it should be only the start of it. When I read my Adjournment debate contribution from 2004, I discovered how far we have come. I have no doubt that the targets laid down by the Minister are only the beginning and that they do not represent the limit of our ambitions.

The Minister paid tribute to the ministerial bio-energy task force. This has been highly successful and it is extremely necessary. The Departments that have a role to play in the development of an indigenous bio-fuel industry are finally working together. People who have been producing and providing different type bio-fuels heretofore encountered difficulties because one Department would know exactly what they were doing, while another would not. People had nothing but trouble from the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners in particular.

It is necessary that we develop an industry in this area, not just because it is the right thing to do but also to ensure that the production of fuels within Ireland would reduce to some degree our 100% dependence on imported fuels. Such a development is also necessary in the context of our CO2 footprint and waste generation. If we are to encourage the development of an industry, we must do so wholeheartedly and on an ambitious scale.

In 2004 I was seeking the removal of excise relief in its entirety and that the only limit applying should relate to time. This would have allowed the market to develop. Prudence has been the hallmark of this Government, which is understandable to an extent, but we need to display a certain flair and determination. Like the Brazilians, we must develop, in a wholehearted and encouraging way, opportunities for farmers, particularly at a time when farming and traditional agricultural practices are in decline. Farmers need as many opportunities as they can possibly get. Developments in this area would allow farmers to change and diversify and this would ensure that people would be retained on the land.

Developments such as those to which I refer have not yet come about, but I will continue to encourage their introduction because we must take action in regard to transport fuel in use. The transport sector makes, for example, the greatest contribution to our CO2 footprint.

We must take cognisance of the notion of the entrepreneurial farmer. For too long, farmers have had a reputation for constantly seeking protective practices. Development of a biofuels industry would provide farmers with new opportunities. I would give 100% support to any measure that would help to develop our indigenous biofuel industry. Leaving aside its illegality, I cannot support the Bill because it would deny the opportunity for such to develop.

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