Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for attending. I join with his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, in congratulating the committee on this excellent report. I also congratulate my party colleague, Deputy Barrett, on his excellent job in chairing that committee.

Ireland has been exposed in this report. It is a fallacy to state that we are a green isle, as it is no longer the case. The desperate water quality in County Galway is an appalling situation and other counties, including mine, have poor water quality as well. In County Westmeath, it is proposed that 700,000 litres of water will be extracted from Lough Ree to accommodate Dublin despite the 50% wastage of water. These issues should be examined and addressed.

Senator Glynn referred to the EU's proposed target of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. It coincides with the aim to increase renewable energy infrastructure by 20% across all EU member states. We are a small nation, but the figures are most alarming when put into perspective. I agree with Senator Glynn that Ireland's level of greenhouse gas emissions per capita is the fifth highest in the world.

Tuesday's budget was disappointing. It afforded the Government an opportunity to address the issue. Instead, the Government decreased the local government fund by 5% and changed local authority waste management funding. We have taken meagre measures to reduce emissions. Regarding the targeted 3% reduction in emissions, it was misleading of the Government to state that the 2009 budget would be green. The Green Party is dressed in the colours of Fianna Fáil, not its own.