Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In fact, with no disrespect to them at all, if we set out in this country to save the planet, we would be very badly disappointed. We can do what we like, but we are not going to save the planet. What we have to do is our fair share, which is a different story altogether. The possibility of doing that on a national basis without being included in the European plan is nil. We can achieve a balance with other countries in making that contribution. There are some countries that have higher rates of carbon emissions than others because of their industrial or agricultural practices.

I completely disagree with the notion set out in some quarters that we should immediately reduce our beef herd. That is all nonsense, because it is not going to happen, and if it does happen it will be economic lunacy. That is a fact of life. What we can do is to reduce carbon emissions by, for example, looking at the domestic motor sector. There is no reason in the world to doubt that all of our motor cars could be driven by electricity in 20 years' time. Technology is improving all the time. The Japanese, the French and others are developing the technology in that area and they are doing it successfully. It is going to work. In the beginning, one could hardly travel 100 miles without having to charge the batteries of an electric car for a couple of days. Now, they have achieved 700 to 900 miles and will go through 1,000 miles. When they get the technology to 1,000 miles plus, it will then obviously be economical and beneficial to rely on electricity for that.

What we cannot do is have the road transport sector fuelled in the same way. To have a 250 horsepower truck fuelled by an electric motor would need quite a motor, with a fair battery behind it as well.

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