Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

——and that today he has deliberately chosen to point to the Minister, Deputy Cowen's, groundbreaking Indecon speech, which indicates that the future for this country is about productivity, equity and the environment.

I take the opportunity presented by this debate to congratulate the Green Party on the success it has achieved in negotiating a programme for Government that steers the Government in a new, cleaner environmental direction. We should give credit to the Green Party. It is fair to acknowledge it has championed this issue over many years and is now delivering on its many promises. It wanted to force the political system, including Fianna Fáil and many other parties, to take this issue seriously. I congratulate it on what it has already achieved in Government and look forward to another five years with it following the next election.

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