Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

This motion is particularly timely in view of last week's report from the European Environment Agency, the EEA. The report stated that Ireland's transport sector has been responsible for an increase in greenhouse gas emissions six times the European average. This increase constitutes a major obstacle, albeit an avoidable one, to the EU's reaching its Kyoto climate change targets. Meanwhile, emissions from most other sectors, including energy supply, industry, agriculture and waste management have diminished, so there must be a lesson in there somewhere.

Transport, including air transport, is responsible for 21% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport contributing 93% of the total. Accordingly, our main objective should be to divert as much as possible of this road transport to rail freight, with consequent benefits for road users. One need only look at yesterday's traffic snarl-up on the M50 to see how quickly gridlock can occur and the consequences of a small accident.

Since the ill-advised closure of the GNR rail network in my constituency in 1957, freight movement has been exclusively by road, to the detriment of other road users. Nevertheless, another ill-advised closure of a railway line from Kingscourt to Navan took place in 1991, forcing the surrounding industries to use road freight. Given the thriving Gypsum Industries, College Proteins, Kingspan and Kingscourt Brick Limited, to name but a few, there is a clear need for this line to be re-activated. It is near Carrickmacross in County Monaghan and, were proper consideration given to it, could be extended through counties Cavan and Monaghan.

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