Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

The introduction of this Bill is very timely and I compliment our spokesperson, Deputy Naughten, on its introduction. The supply of oil, once thought everlasting, is fast disappearing and our dependence on it cannot continue at the current rate. We should develop clear alternatives to meet our energy needs.

I understand the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will represent Ireland at the EU Environment Council next Tuesday in Brussels. I hope he will not be embarrassed at Ireland's failure to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Agreement. Ireland signed up to that agreement to limit increases in emissions between 2008 and 2012 to 13% above emissions in 1990. A recent leaked report showed that, though our emissions were low in world terms, Ireland had the second highest level of CO2 emissions per head of population in the world, which illustrates how serious is our situation.

This Government must take responsibility for failing to take any steps in the past ten years to treat the situation seriously. When oil prices reached a peak last year, petrol and diesel at the pumps shot up in price to approximately €1.14 and even €1.20 per litre. Now, with the price of crude oil greatly reduced, there has not been a corresponding reduction in the price of oil at outlets. There is also a great discrepancy in prices at various stations. I was at a meeting in Clifden last Monday and filled my car at 99.9c per litre. In Galway City it cost 104.9c per litre, in Ballinasloe 97.9c and in Moate 102.9c. In Tyrrellspass, the last station before the motorway, it cost 102.9c and in the first filling station in Dublin it cost 103.9c. I do not know how it can be cheaper to bring petrol or diesel to Clifden than to Galway, Dublin or anywhere else. Even in Carraroe, in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht, the prices were 98.9c for petrol and 99.9c for diesel. Some places are certainly ripping off customers.

Our spokesperson, Deputy O'Dowd, made a novel proposal this morning at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government to show that we in this House are serious about playing our part in reducing emissions. He suggested cars be banned from Dáil Éireann. Why not travel by train or bus? It is very easy and I come on the train except when I have to carry literature from the Dáil. It is a great service and there is a train to Dublin from every part of Ireland. On arrival, the DART service takes passengers from the train stations into the city centre. I do not know whether it is practical and am sure Ministers would want to be driven to the Dáil but this House should show an example rather than just preach about sustainable policies.

This Bill proposes a mandatory bio-fuel component in all motor fuels and to force fuel distributors to include a 5% bio-fuel mix in all petrol and diesel. That will become very important in the years ahead. It will not cost motorists as current engines are suitable for that purpose and would not require modification. It would be mandatory for both petrol and diesel users as the fuel would be blended with rape and seed oil respectively. The transport sector has been identified as one of the largest offenders in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland.

There is no point in encouraging farmers to grow renewable energy or bio-fuel crops, to which the Government pretends to be committed, when there is no market for them. The policy vacuum at the heart of the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government is exposed by its failures in this area. It is quite obvious that, in the past ten years, this Government has failed to do anything about the serious problem of emissions.

There is significant support for bio-fuels throughout Europe. Commercial fuel is subject to mandatory blending with bio-fuels in Austria and Germany. Germany produces one third of bio-fuels in the EU but Ireland has stuck its head in the sand and has done nothing. I ask the Minister of State why that is the case. Yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, showed a belated attempt to recognise that the proposals in this Fine Gael Bill represent the way forward.

The structure of the proposed scheme also gives an opportunity to farmers in poorer parts of the country to diversify from producing their current crops.

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