Don Lydon (Fianna Fail)

The scale and nature of the agricultural sector are problems. Our livestock numbers are large compared to our population and agriculture accounts for 29% of greenhouse gas emissions here compared to an average of 10% for the EU-15. Only Mongolia has more agriculture in this respect.

The high level of cement production per capita due to considerable construction activity is another problem. Ireland's cement production accounted for approximately 5.5% of emissions in 2004. Also that year, an estimated 10% of petrol and 25% of diesel sold in Ireland was consumed outside the State, comprising 18% of our road transport emissions. It is not often understood that a significant portion of Ireland's purchasing requirements arises not from the Government's failure to reduce emissions, but from so-called fuel tourism. Due to UN greenhouse gas counting rules, the fuel purchased in the State by motorists and hauliers and consumed elsewhere must be recorded in our greenhouse gas inventory. In 2005, this was estimated to have accounted for 2.4 million tonnes of Ireland's emissions, two thirds of the Government's annual purchasing requirement. However, the revenue raised from excise and VAT on the sale of the fuel amounts to approximately €317 million, which more than offsets the cost of purchasing the allowances.

Other measures have been taken. The roll-out of Transport 21 in the period ending 2015 will see investment of almost €16 billion in public transport projects, encouraging more people to use public transport. Senator Ryan had a great idea, that is, to encourage greater heavy goods transport by rail. Unfortunately, the railways do not encourage increased transport and those who use rail services for heavy goods transport say they are slow. I will address that matter later.

The alignment of the investment with the national spatial strategy and the development of integrated land use and transportation strategies at gateway-city level will help to constrain growth in transport emissions by ensuring that future residential and commercial developments will be concentrated as close as possible to current and future public transport systems, thus maximising the investment's benefit.

The Government's announcement of a new target for the use of biofuels of 5.75% by 2009 is calculated to achieve CO2 savings of up to 700,000 tonnes, the equivalent of removing almost 200,000 cars from the road. A more ambitious target of 10% by 2020 has been set by the Government. The Government has approved the establishment of a ministerial task force on climate change, which is working on the new national climate change strategy. A priority, the strategy will be published before Easter.

I am a believer in the adaptability of humans. We have shown that we can exist in and adapt to any environment. I am also a believer in human ingenuity and enterprise. People will not give up driving cars or lorries. We have become used to a lifestyle and will not abandon it overnight, but we will develop other forms of fuel and styles of transport. We will not let the world go downhill. It is good that we have called a halt and highlighted the issue. It is also good that motions such as this are tabled because they accentuate our concern for the problem. Like other Governments, our Government knew the problem existed for some time and came to accept it gradually. We are now tackling it.

Humans have been always able to adapt to any environment in which they found themselves and I do not doubt we will be able to do likewise in this regard. We will change, use other fuels and methods of transport and prevent the world from being destroyed gradually.