Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an díospóireacht tábhachtach seo.

I know we are part of adversarial politics and this is highlighted by the nature of the Chamber in which we are. However, it is also important to try to rise above the temptation to be adversarial at times, particularly given the situation we are in, and to think more laterally than we are encouraged to do normally, perhaps through the media and other pressures on politicians to act in a certain way. I have listened carefully to the debate and the fact that we need to look at where we are in terms of the geographical and historic space has not yet been mentioned.

Since it was issued and separated from a tradeable stable commodity such as gold, the international monetary system has relied more than ever on confidence. This confidence is an extremely fragile commodity, if one can call it such. When I was Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, dioxins were an international issue which had to be worked at and confidence restored. This happened, but it takes serious focus to ensure confidence is at the heart of what we do. I am not speaking about false confidence, I am speaking about reasons to be confident. Without that confidence, the world of business, wealth creation and every transaction depending on money becomes problematic. This is why we need to reflect in a fair way that which is working and the positive trends as well as the problem areas, and this is not to shirk, shun or overlook those problem areas.

Unfortunately, good news does not make the biggest headlines so we need to try to ensure there is fair representation of good and bad news. It was reported in a very small article that food and beverage exports have increased and are 8% higher than this time last year. The Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, mentioned this area as it is one of his responsibilities. It is important that we emphasise where we are doing well.

We state the Dublin bike scheme is part of life and that it is great but not everything. It is not everything but internationally, it reflects extremely well on Ireland. It is seen as the most successful, efficient and cleanest and the best. We need to take pride where we have reason to take pride and it is part of Dublin becoming a cleaner greener city. It is good for business in a very real sense.

Another small article reports that firms making a green switch report savings, as a Vodafone survey of 100 companies found two thirds of businesses reported improved operating efficiencies, financial savings and more employment as a result of implementing environmentally friendly policies. These are aspects of Government policy - not the whole of Government policy - to which it is important to refer as they reflect something of which we want to see more, namely, people saving and making life more efficient with more employment and business opportunities.

The causes of the problems are difficult to deal with but they are being dealt with. Difficulties in our planning system landed us with the property bubble. This may be adversarial, but I am sorry to state that in local authorities Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael worked hand in glove. The Labour Party was not involved to the same extent. This had to be dealt with. It has been difficult but I admire the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, for having the courage to face head on those vested interests. We have legislation in planning to take corporate patronage out of politics, which has been another cause of the problems we are debating.

The Green Party was right in forecasting problems that were symptomatic of planning corruption of the past. I was assaulted in Dublin County Council for highlighting that corruption back in 1993. It is now coming out in the wash. Unfortunately, at the time it was dismissed.

The Gulf of Mexico spill has cost the United States dearly and the environmental cost is international. It is seen as a BP calamity and a problem of human failure. However, if we were to be honest about it, it is a consequence of the end of the era of cheap oil. Unless we buy into the clear message and act on it rather than stating we cannot afford to act on it we will suffer. We will not win the businesses that will exist in future. Only economies without oil reliance will win those new businesses. The wake-up call is hitting us in a financial way and this is what is being reported, but let us not overlook the consequences and causes of those problems.

It is a disgrace how small and medium enterprises are being thwarted in their efforts to embrace and rise to those new challenges and create the employment needed. I listened to Deputy Varadkar and I agree with much of what he stated. Ulster Bank went into a company in my constituency and thank goodness there was the presence of mind to save the jobs when the receiver was forced to come in. I am afraid this was not thanks to the bank, and 15 farmers are now at a loss of €300,000 and business investors have lost their life work as a result of a bank acting when people were paying their bills. The company was still in business and in a good position to continue in business but the bank decided, in its own narrow self-interest, to enter into the equation. We have to rise above this and ensure regulation will deal with it and that the banks play their parts in getting us out of the problems in which they had huge part in creating.

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