Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----will boost sales for legitimate businesses paying the solid fuel carbon tax. They are the home truths with which we must grapple and understand and this legislation will help to fight that battle for us.

This legislation introduces many other measures. I am concerned about the provision on breaches of the waste management Acts. In terms of departmental policy on waste management, we must ensure we recover as much as we can by way of recycling and the re-use of waste. Irish people have been recycling waste for many years and we are increasingly exporting more of our domestic and other waste. That is wrong. It does not make sense to me that recyclable waste is sitting in the ports of our cities and large towns awaiting export for use elsewhere. This is an issue we ought to address urgently.

My colleagues opposite made reference to illegal diesel, diesel laundering and so on, which is a huge issue but not necessarily one covered under this legislation. The Bill provides for mandatory fines for using certain pollutants. The biggest pollutant in my constituency, as Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick and I know, is toxic chemicals used to launder illegal diesel along the Border. Despite the protestations and bleats from Sinn Féin on the issue, it is a significant pollutant that pollutes the water into which it flows, about which there is no doubt. I challenge Deputy Gerry Adams to drink that water at source where it is being polluted. Obviously, he will not do so because if he were to do so, he would not be around for very long.

We must address the pollution of our environment and society. We must, in particular, deal with the serious significant adverse impact of illegal diesel laundering in Border areas. This legislation is good and positive. It contains many constructive measures. I note, however, that there has been no regulatory impact analysis of it. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Dara Murphy, might set out in his reply or on Committee Stage the impact of the legislation in the context of some of the issues raised. This is important and constructive legislation which I support.

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