We should not lose sight of the fact that the Bill completes the transposition into law of the 1996 EU directive on integrated pollution pre vention and control. The control licensing system operated by the Environmental Protection Agency since 1992 is generally acknowledged to have secured a substantial improvement in environmental performance in industrial and other activities, for example, reduced air and water emissions, energy savings, and a movement to more environmentally friendly processes and lower noise emissions. The Bill will build on our success in implementing integrated licensing in Ireland in advance of the directive. We had the vision to look further ahead when introducing legislation some time ago, even before the directive was introduced. We are achieving substantial compliance in advance of its deadlines.