Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I thank the Minister and look forward to it. It is only pennies but this is about attitude.

The important aspect of Senator Bacik's Bill is that it is concerned with meeting our solemn commitments under Kyoto. Kyoto was not dreamt up when we sat around a table. We signed up to it. During the past month temperatures warmer than we have here today were recorded in the Arctic where it was 20°.

To those who state the climate change issue is a left-wing plot I ask them to remember their grannies saying not to waste. I ask them to do that even if they do not agree with us, but I know the Minister does. Let us not get involved in this argument. There are daft people who think this is not an issue. Let us not waste time with them, rather tell them to speak to their grannies and not waste time. That would be a good start.

I am slightly concerned about biomass. I am concerned that we have not made enough progress on ethanol and the various bio-fuels. It is interesting to note that this year, Irish farmers gained substantially because of the move towards alternative energy. Large chunks of the mid-west of Canada and the United States, instead of growing wheat, began to grow crops to produce bio-fuels and bioenergies, which resulted in a doubling of the price of wheat. The Minister should say that. He should tell the Irish farmer there is a gain to be made. This is a new industry and there is money in it for everybody. Irish farmers doubled their harvest tonnage this year and they do not know why. Somebody should tell them.

My colleague raised the issue of carbon emissions trading. I have a slightly connected interest in that area. I agree we cannot rely on that. While we will never have a negative carbon footprint, we need to have regulated carbon trading, but only as part of and at the end of a process. This industry is full of cowboys. Carbon emissions trading can only be done if certified and verified by the UN and if the audit on what is being done, whether dealing with a sink in India or something in Ireland, is carried out by auditors who are approved and recognised. What is happening at present is that people buy carbon credits on the Internet — what are called verified carbon credits. We need the same standards of auditing as for company auditing.

I hope the Minister will welcome and support Senator Bacik's Bill in the name of the Independent Senators. It would be a major step forward. Like the butterfly in the Amazon, it would send shockwaves throughout Europe.