Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on climate change and I thank the Minister for coming to the House. While I was doing research for this debate, I noted that the EPA has stated that the outcomes achieved, especially on biodegradable municipal waste, are less than satisfactory. Recent data from the national waste report showed that 1.4 million tonnes of such waste went to landfill in 2006. We have very few facilities for disposing of green waste. As a former county councillor in the recent past, one of the big issues was how gardeners, in particular, would dispose of green waste. We need to take urgent action if we are to meet our EU commitments. At present 92% of organic municipal waste is going to landfill, which is a disgrace and needs to be addressed.

Senator Glynn already referred to the fact that Westmeath County Council has rolled out a pilot scheme to 1,000 people, on which I commend it. The same is happening in other parts of the country. I ask the Minister to engage in an awareness campaign to encourage people to use brown bins and to recycle organic waste. Some people are doing so in their own households, for which I commend them. At the end of this process we need to decide how the market will deal with biodegradable waste. A development group is meeting to discuss the market and I look forward to its findings.

Senator O'Toole spoke about plastic and the end product of our dry recyclables. I ask the Minister to comment on that matter. I have always wondered where our dry recyclables go. I have asked that question several times in the county council and was told they are sorted and exported. It is not very environmentally friendly considering the amount of energy it takes to transport our disposables. I ask the Minister to comment on the matter.

The amount of energy we use is the main contributor to climate change. Agriculture and transport are contributory factors to global warming. I note that our transport-related greenhouse emissions have increased by 160% from 1990 to 2005.

In the past the Minister has been, and still is, passionate about transport and the environment. I would ask him to elaborate on how we will proceed in this respect. I welcome Dublin City Council's plan to provide bicycles, which will be rolled out in a year's time. Under the plan that is currently being discussed, the public will be able to pick up a bicycle to travel to their destination where they can park it. I welcome that very good idea.

Recently, I travelled on the new Dublin-Sligo train, which is a comfortable state-of-the-art facility but I was disappointed to learn that it is run on diesel. Why is it not electric? Perhaps the Minister can answer that point.

I commend the improvements that have been achieved in the agricultural sector which was one of the chief contributors to global warming. In addition, energy production, including home heating and insulation, has improved significantly. This debate provides an opportunity to highlight ways in which the public can recycle and reduce emissions.

The Government should fund local authority waivers for waste collection schemes. It is impossible for local authorities to compete with private waste collectors if they must provide this service free for the elderly and others who are less well off.

Some people have been granted licences to produce biofuels but others who are not producing biofuels have also been granted such licences. Meanwhile, there are people who are desperate to establish their own biofuel businesses yet cannot obtain these licences. I therefore ask the Minister to comment on the biofuel licensing process.