John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is encouragement for people to use more environmentally friendly sources of energy - there is much of that in my constituency and in different parts of the country where wind farms are installed. Deputy McGrath is originally from Galway where there is considerable investment by the university there into a project to study the viability of wave energy. The introduction of a carbon tax was designed, in part at least, to encourage the provision of alternative clean energy sources. It is ironic that Deputy Healy-Rae lashed this particular legislation in regard to carbon tax when, as I understand it, his predecessor was one of those who introduced it.

I return to comments made and I echo what Deputy Hayes noted, being from the neighouring constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny where I see local authorities pushed to the pin of their collar in terms of the funding available to do ordinary road maintenance work. Deputy McGrath would agree this is not only a rural issue. There are parts of this city and other urban areas where the street surfaces are simply not adequate. Any improvement in the funding available for local authorities that will enable them to do necessary repairs and reconstruction work will have a knock-on benefit for the people who travel those roads. It is hugely costly to live in an area where the roads are particularly bad and because of that to face constant repair bills for one's vehicle. The fact that this legislation will lead to an improved financial position for the local government fund and thereby the ability for more funds to be distributed to local authorities is to be welcomed. It is ironic to listen to people such as Deputy Healy-Rae who shout and roar for extra funding for local authorities for the provision of better road networks in their area and then, when the first chance for some extra funding arrives, they are opposed to it. They cannot have both sides of the argument; they are either for or against it.

They are either for it or against it. I suppose that being in opposition allows them to be inconsistent on everything.

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