Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

Will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the House to debate the important issue of the protection of our environment? There are many problems in the areas of regulation and licensing and in respect of discharges and emissions from industry and public and private waste facilities. I will be interested to hear what the Green Party, which claims to be the guardians of our environment, has to say about the many licensing breaches by waste facilities and industry. Licensing and the way the law is flouted needs to be addressed.

There are also issues in terms of the role and responsibilities of the Environmental Protection Agency and the local authority environment departments. There seems to be much passing the buck and turning a blind eye. I will be interested to hear what resources the Minister proposes to put into these important areas because the protection of our environment should be a high priority for us all.