Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 March 2009

8:00 pm

Photo of Trevor SargentTrevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

——rather than just talk about it. Voting on this motion is not going to change it, as Deputy Hogan well knows. I do not believe he is able to face up to that. It is more convenient to talk about it in Opposition but not do anything about it.

The Ministers of State have accepted the pension levy and a 10% pay cut. I have cut another 10% from the expenditure in my own office. It has meant people have had to forgo positions and the loss of staff but I take seriously the need to reduce expenditure. The job I have to do needs to be done. It is up to the Taoiseach to declare how it is done and who does it, but it needs to be done. Food security in this country is something which will need to be faced up to. The situation worldwide demands it.

I am working with various Departments in terms of food safety in the Department of Health and Children, school gardens in the Department of Education and Science, allotments with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and farmers' markets with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Department of Finance, including the OPW to demonstrate growing and how people can get involved and become involved in farming.

All of these issues, whether it is Agri Vision 2015, the McIvor report, the plans for the organic target which need to be driven or the obesity report, need to be addressed. The problem of obesity is costing this country more than €4 billion and has, according to a recent report, been set at €5 billion. What if we could save that €5 billion? It would help contribute to a major reform in the public finances.

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