Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House to discuss this extremely important legislation. I cannot understand why Senator Bannon feels there has not been adequate time to discuss the Bill when 40 hours have been devoted to it in both Houses. As the Minister pointed out, he has dealt in great detail with the main amendments and I have every confidence in the Members of the Dáil and in the Department's officials. By addressing its technicalities, they can only have enhanced and strengthened the Bill.

I welcome the amendment which addresses end-of-life vehicles. Dublin has long had a huge problem with abandoned cars and vehicles which are commonly referred to as "company cars". Children as young as 12 years of age can buy an abandoned vehicle for as little as €50 and take it onto the roads. It is a major problem. The amendments made in the Dáil deal comprehensively with this issue and this is to be warmly welcomed. The achievement of the goal of 85% recycling of materials by 2007 can only be of benefit to everyone. A person with a vehicle which has reached the end of its life can bring it to a centre without incurring a charge as the cost is borne by the original supplier of the car. The person can be secure in the knowledge that cars left at such a centre will not return to the roads under a different registration or in the hands of a child of 13 or 14 years of age. This provision is also welcome.

When this Bill was discussed in the House previously, particularly on Committee Stage, I felt the Minister paid very close attention. It is obvious now that he did. While he is under no obligation to accept Committee Stage amendments in the Seanad, during the time which elapsed before the legislation came before the Dáil a process of discussion and democracy in action took place. Changes were made on foot of that process. While a Minister may reject an amendment on Committee Stage in the Seanad, a similar provision may be produced after a period of discussion within his party and with other parties and outside bodies. The changes made through this process can only strengthen a Bill. In this instance, the Minister is to be commended for making the changes he did to the Bill while it was before the Dáil. In many cases the changes which have been made serve to strengthen the hands of local authorities in the area of waste management.