Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It was outlined by the Minister that we are going to miss our targets. The approach is lack lustre and the concern is that there is not just the question of environmental damage but also the potential of financial penalties. These must be avoided at all costs. We cannot allow ourselves to be the bad guys of Europe. We have an opportunity. We present a green image but, my God, we are not living up to it. We present this image of having safe food, and rightly so. We support that fully. However, we need to match our words and advertisements with action. We need a clear roadmap. There is a concern that goes across sectors, including the power and energy sector and the construction sector, especially the retrofit sector. We recognise that the agrisector is a difficult one in this regard but better farming practices can deal with it.

While I recognise the Minister is new to this game, having been appointed only recently, he must act on this issue because we do not have time on our side. From July onwards, urgent action must be taken on transport. This will require increased investment in public transport, increasing the number of power points and having more light vehicles driven by renewable energy sources.

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