Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

However, we cannot all travel in bus lanes as the Minister of State can. We need to get people out of their cars and those that must be used need to be more efficient. We need joined-up Government thinking. On this most important area of transport the Government has completely failed and it is out of control. The way the cities are growing is also out of control. We do not have sustainable living. Such sustainable living, with people living, working and having their recreation more or less all in the same area, represents the future for Ireland. However, the Government has failed in this regard.

I welcome that the emissions trading scheme is working. I come from a town with two major industries, Premier Periclase and Irish Cement, which are heavy users of energy. CRH needed to reconsider the future of the cement industry in Ireland when the emissions trading scheme was introduced. This is an area in which emissions trading is working. CRH has given a commitment to invest in a new state-of-the-art plant which will significantly reduce the carbon emissions from this industry in Drogheda in the future. It is sustaining and driving economic success and vibrancy in my area.

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