Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The Government woke up one morning to discover it had done nothing on the issue ten years after Kyoto except pay lip-service. The people of the country will pay as a result, not the Minister of State.

More has not been done to remove more excise duty from alternative fuel sources because the Government wants to hold on to it. It makes huge amounts from VAT and excise duty on fuel and energy, as we know. However, it is not too late; there is time for a Pauline conversion. The Government can restore public confidence to some extent in its ability by recognising that we are moving on and that changes must be made. The Government has a responsibility to meet today's requirements and to stop spending time looking backwards over the things it failed to do in the past.

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