John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

One might be prompted to say, "There are none so deaf as those who will not hear." The Fine Gael contribution could be described as a waste of time, or more accurately, a time of waste. It is important that this side of the House should register its support for the Minister and that there is no equivocation about it. The Minister was described as "arrogant" in a phrase which has been withdrawn. He simply told the truth about this issue.

There has been more damage done in the last 50 years to the environment than in all our recorded history. That damage has been caused by society which has a serious obligation to rectify it. The Minister spoke about what we must pass on to succeeding generations.

There is an even more fundamental issue which is to do with the economy, our exports and the image of our food products. It is to do with the totality of the economic life of the country. It comes with a cost which we must bear. As a result of this evening's debate I never again want to hear rhetoric from the opposite side of the House about the need to protect our environment for tourism or as an absolute in its own right.