Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

Senator Boyle may rest assured that when it comes to patriotism, reason and putting the best interests of the people first, my party has a record that is second to none. I take great exception to his patronising attitude.

Obviously, there are many elements involved in the substantive matter of reducing CO2 emissions but the element I wish to address briefly is the provision of rail services. Rather than lecturing Fine Gael, it would suit Senator Boyle to remind his Ministers in Government of the critical importance of promptly developing the rail network again. It beggars belief that we produced plans for the proposed M3 motorway without a parallel railway. The fact that this has happened is a horror and the greatest indictment of contemporary politics. Everybody stands indicted on this count. I wonder if tolling and big money interests had an input into the fact that this proposed motorway will not run parallel with a railway. I do not say this carelessly. The obvious thing was to do it at planning stage. It was only a matter of putting it alongside the motorway. It was a bizarre decision.

The development of a railway line to Navan and the provision of park and ride facilities at Navan are of critical importance, as is the extension of the railway from Navan to Kingscourt in my constituency. That is critically important to the socioeconomic development of and quality of life in east Cavan. It throws up huge issues in terms of this debate. Not only is this railway worthy of development, the entire national rail network must be put back in place.

Parallel with the provision of railways, an effort must be made through the use of vehicle registration tax to produce fewer emissions and incentivise the use of smaller cars. I believe Senator Mullen spoke about culture and cultural attitude. We all have a role to play in our own different ways. We must contribute to a situation where people wish to share cars when going to work and to use public transport.

I agree with all that was said in respect of bio-fuels. I am in favour of the recent regulations proposed by the Minister relating to solar panels and insulation for houses. While I fully agree with and applaud that necessary and correct initiative, we must take on board the fact that first-time buyers must be incentivised in some way. A cost-effective grant system should be put in place. It would help to achieve the objectives of this Bill if incentivisation or a grant structure for first-time buyers were put in place to encourage alternative energy and homes that are satisfactory from this perspective.

It is horrific that in recent weeks, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, announced a reduction in the grants for geothermal pumps and wood pellet burners. I put it to the Minister that rather than reducing these grants, we should be increasing them and using them as incentives. I welcome this Minister to the House. I served with him in the House in the past and I ask him, when he is summing up, to commit himself publicly to these grants. These grants should be increasing rather than decreasing. That went under the radar and was not noticed by many people but it did happen.