Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I have been impressed by the sophistication and mettle shown by Green Party Deputies in entering government. It would have been easy for them to give interviews hither and thither and make all sorts of statements. They did not do so and chose instead to keep quiet. The House should pay tribute to the previous Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, who was highly regarded and did an immense amount of work in the Department.

The Minister is correct to state we cannot continue to either burn or bury waste. To do so would mean opening more and more landfills, huge burial grounds for disease, contaminated water and all the other ills associated with such sites. In that regard, a huge landfill is planned to be located directly over the aquifer, which is one of the methods of bringing water to the east coast. However, I give notice that we will not give that water. The Shannon and Lough Ree will not be drained to supply the east coast. It has Luas, trains and buses galore; it will not get our water.

To continue burying or burning our waste, as was the old way, would be wrong. I encourage the acceleration of recycling. We think we are great if we take our wine bottles to the local bottle bank or if we put out our green bin, we think we have done our bit for Ireland, Europe and the world, but we have not, because it involves such a minute amount. There should be a much greater scheme of grants and incentives towards recycling as these would be taken up by many.

We have only to look at young people in their green schools. I am sure all Members have been invited to the launch of a green flag in a local school and have seen how wonderfully young people are taken with the idea of the power of one, and how much they like the idea that they can plug out a kettle or take other measures. I would encourage more schemes of that nature.

I am conscious the Leas-Cheann Comhairle may stop me shortly.

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