Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

I pointed out during last night's debate that a great deal of progress has been made in this area in recent years. It is great that this country is able to afford to have a strategy for dealing with this issue. We could not have afforded to have such a strategy until approximately ten years ago.

Numerous attempts were made in the past to improve the environment. The Government oversaw the introduction of smokeless fuel, for example. We have progressed enormously in recent years by putting a levy on plastic bags, for example. The steps we have taken will ensure we continue to reduce our emissions. The economy grew by 150% between 1990 and 2004, but our emissions increased by just 25%. It is extremely difficult to achieve and maintain such a balancing act. The strategy and policies pursued by the Minister and the Government will ensure we will continue the progress we have made.

I welcome the introduction of this Bill. We have been speaking about this issue for many years. The joint committee has discussed the matter on numerous occasions, as Senator Bannon is aware. We have talked around the subject.

The steps we are taking to ensure Ireland remains competitive in the global market do not seem to be acceptable to those in the Opposition who often slate us for our supposed failure to maintain this country's competitiveness. As I said last night, "the reality of life is that we cannot all cycle everywhere". We have to take responsibility for the use of cars, electricity and various sources of energy. We are taking concrete steps in these respects.

I am pleased the National Treasury Management Agency is being given responsibility as the State's purchasing agent. The agency has proven over the years that its talented and committed staff can pursue extremely successful policies and strategies. The agency's role in this regard will ensure we get value for money and continue to work to meet our commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

This legislation has been framed following a long period of consultation with many interests, including the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. It will prove to be very effective. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government commented on the various sections of the Bill.

I wish to refer to last night's discussion on the improvements which have been made. I spoke about competitiveness during that debate. We need to strike a balance between continuing to provide jobs and improve the economy for the people, and allowing ordinary citizens to enjoy their lives in the same way as their counterparts throughout the world. We can hold our heads high in this respect. Our prudent policies have helped us to avoid many of the problems which are being experienced by our European neighbours.

We have to compete globally. We are moving away from manufacturing and agriculture, to a certain extent. We are now concentrating on high-end technology and pharmaceuticals. We have to safeguard such jobs, protect the environment and respect the way these companies do business. We have to maintain our growth and continue to provide for growth.

I will comment on what has been achieved in recent times. Last night, we discussed many of the developments which will help to reduce emissions from traffic. Many projects are being rolled out under Transport 21. We have not heard a squeak about the success of the Dublin Port tunnel, which is up and running. The only reaction we got resulted from a slight malfunction yesterday. As a direct result of those problems, everybody now recognises the value of the tunnel, about which we have been speaking for ten years. We also spent ten years trying to introduce the Luas system, which is now a massive success. We do not hear a dicky-bird about the fact that it is used by millions of people every year.

Projects like those I have mentioned form part of the Government's long-term strategy. We are showing foresight by acknowledging what will have to be done in the future. The Government and its predecessor have a proven track record in planning for the future. We are making sure we fulfil all our obligations, particularly in relation to the environment. We have made huge strides in that regard.

The Dublin Port tunnel has made a huge difference to people in parts of my constituency like East Wall and North Wall. Before the tunnel opened, there was a constant flow of heavy trucks through the area from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. each day. The opening of the tunnel has reduced the number of hours that drivers spend stuck in traffic. It has also improved the quality of the air in many parts of Dublin. Schools which had huge problems with fumes, etc., from heavy traffic have been transformed. When one considers such basic matters, one sees how effective the Government's achievements have been.

We will continue to invest in public transport to encourage as many people as possible to use it. We have made a great deal of progress in that respect. That work will continue.

I would like to speak about the greener homes scheme, which encourages individuals and families to take responsibility. Grants and other incentives are provided under the scheme. Anything that can be done in this area should be encouraged. The Government has proven its willingness to support people to make certain choices. We will have to continue to assist groups and individuals who want to make an effort in this regard. There has been a major change in the attitude to environmental issues of young people on leaving school. The green flag scheme operated in many schools has proved to be a great success. It is an educational tool which students carry into adult life. It has brought about change and we must encourage such initiatives.

We now accept that the generation of emissions and the way we treat our environment is a matter of individual responsibility. Probably the most effective campaign to date has been the Power of One. It comes down to the individual and requesting individuals to switch off lights, turn off taps, put controls on heating systems, etc. That is the way forward. We have to bring down this issue to an individual's responsibility. We must all take responsibility for our actions. The Power of One campaign in particular will prove to be very successful in the long run.

The more we continue to educate young people in schools and make them aware of environmental issues, the better. Films and television programmes on global warming have been produced and there is also the Internet, which are resources into which young people tap. We must ensure the right information and as much information as possible is disseminated to people. It is easy to scaremonger about such issues. People sometimes pick up wrong information because some individuals and groups have a vested interested in disseminating misinformation. We must be aware of that, particularly in the case of young people. As is the case with other issues, young people can be susceptible and easily led in terms of information disseminated.

We will continue to research and develop renewable resources. We are concentrating heavily on the provision of renewal sources of energy. A great deal of money is being invested in such research and development, which is necessary. We need to modernise our energy networks. I wholeheartedly agree with the decision not to go down the nuclear road. I had the dubious honour of visiting Sellafield last year and it brought back memories of the threat posed by that plant given that it is still dealing with the result of what they did in the 1950s and they will continue to deal with that waste for the next 50 years. They have materials that will be in the ground for 1,000 years and nobody is sure what to do about that, yet they continue to go down the nuclear road.

We have to examine the question of alternatives and sustainable renewable sources of energy. The Government and the previous Minister for the Environment have made huge strides forward in this area and will continue to do so. We have talked and danced around the subject of this legislation for a long time. The legislation is very welcome. It is great that at last we are getting to the point where we, as a country, are taking responsibility for what we produce and the emissions we produce. This Bill together with a framework of legislation and policy will ensure we continue the good work. I wish the Minister well with the passage of the Bill.