Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the environment? As Senators will be aware, the United Nations will launch an important report on global warming later this week. Even President Bush is beginning to acknowledge that this is the greatest single issue facing the world.

Ireland needs to play its part in tackling global warming and the Houses of the Oireachtas could lead by example. A phenomenal amount of paper is wasted in the Houses every day. The large number of reports, agendas and information supplied in paper format and unsolicited could be provided via e-mail. Senators are sufficiently literate in information technology to be able to use e-mail. Instead of filling bags and bins with unsolicited reports, few of which we will read beyond the executive summary, an e-mail facility would allow us to view reports once alerted that they have become available and, if necessary, print them out. We could begin to lead by example by having a general debate on the report which will be launched later this week.