Feargal Quinn (Independent)

For once the Leader will be pleased to know I am not seeking an urgent debate. That said, we should consider debating two reports. One report was issued during the week by the European Environment Agency which stated we had the second worst record for pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the European Community. That should be debated reasonably soon.

I read this morning of a report from the British Oceanographic Data Centre. The report states that the Gulf Stream, which has benefitted the islands of Great Britain and Ireland for millennia, is in danger of weakening. It also states that while Ireland and Great Britain are on the same latitude as Newfoundland, we have been aided by the Gulf Stream, but within 20 years we too could be in need of ice breakers. I do not know if today's weather is a sign of things to come.

It is interesting that these two reports have come out this week, one of them identifying Ireland and the other identifying the global climate change that is taking place. It is in our hands to do something about it and perhaps we should put it on our agenda for a debate in the near future.