Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am glad to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate. People are becoming more and more aware of the exciting new potential of alternatives to fossil fuels. It is not long since none of us was aware of concepts such as biomass, bio-fuels, sustainability and renewability in the context of energy production.

Many lament the problem of individualism which besets our society, despite the disappearance of the Celtic tiger which, in part, gave rise to it. It is worrying that individualism continues in times of crisis when people become more fearful of their own economic security. We must all pay attention to the need for a united approach to the problems which face us in our economic travails. We must promote solidarity between people. It is all too easy in times of fear to retreat into our own houses and seek to protect our own sectoral interests. The only way to deal with the greater problems which beset humanity is to try to get human beings to unite, find common cause and make sacrifices for each other.

It is in the area of environmental protection, energy security and developing clean, green forms of energy that one finds people uniting quite visibly. In this area, we have a heightened consciousness of our obligations to each other, not only to the people who share the world with us now but also to future generations. Intergenerational solidarity is growing in purchase.

I welcome the Government's initiative to introduce a bio-fuel obligation scheme in July 2010. I note what the Government said about the reduction of emissions and the increased security of supply, employment opportunities and economic well-being it entails.

We are all familiar with the maxim that sometimes the perfect can be the enemy of the good. I wonder if this is an occasion when the good might be the enemy of the perfect. I think of bio-fuel as something that is better than fossil fuels, can generate employment and improve economic activity, is less harmful to the environment than fossil fuels and, therefore, has a lot going for it. It is exciting to think of cars which are environmentally friendly, whether those fuelled by hydrogen or something like the Toyota Prius, whose combination of battery and fuel leads to lower emissions and higher mileage per litre. We have a romantic image of filling our bio-fuel based cars with vegetable oil from the chipper, although I know we are talking this evening about something more industrially developed.

It is apparent to many people that many questions remain to be answered in this area. These questions have been well ventilated by others. I heard with interest the concerns raised by Senator McCarthy. For example, I am very conscious of the recommendations of the hunger task force. The Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, will have a particular interest in this given a portfolio he once held with distinction. I am very conscious of the work of the hunger task force and of Ireland's particular obligation to address issues around hunger.

When one thinks of what non-governmental organisations such as Self Help have to say, they point out very clearly that we must support the farmers of the world. I am thinking in particular of farmers in Africa. There was a time when we had massive amounts of excess food and so on and food could be transferred to other continents but that is not the current reality where there is higher consumption of food worldwide in places like China and so on.

The devotion of arable land to the production of biomass raises questions about biodiversity and about farming in poorer countries. It is a known fact that in Africa, for example, the majority of the population live very close to the land. There is huge potential for progress in helping people farm more effectively, more sustainably and more productively and thereby tackle hunger and build a better future.

We must have regard to concerns about whether an unrestricted biomass industry would take account of the small farmer, the ordinary people and the people without power and influence. This is a good which must be regulated and must not be subject to unrestricted market forces. It must be regulated in the interests of the most vulnerable people of our world.

While welcoming progress in terms of environmental protection which bio-fuel can entail and the economic activity it can entail, the focus for Ireland must be on completely renewable and completely clean energy. I commend Senator Butler, for example, on bringing in speakers from the Spirit of Ireland project. I want to hear the Government talk about that project and about how and when Ireland will be at the cutting edge of all that is possible in the area of completely green and completely renewable energy from wind, wave and water and the wind and water combination which is at the heart of the Spirit of Ireland proposal.

I intend to table an Adjournment matter shortly in order that the Minister can explain the current position and the Government's attitude to Spirit of Ireland and all that needs to be done to develop our potential in an optimistic and engaged way in the area of production of clean, green energy through wind and water. Are we serious about it? Will we take risks to achieve our potential and become net exporters of energy in the very near future, which is achievable? Will our Government invest the time and the resources and, crucially, have the imagination to make all that happen?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach as ucht an deis seo a thabairt dom. Glacaim leis an méid atá déanta ach ba bhreá liom an cheist seo a chur ar an Aire - cá seasann an Rialtas maidir le Spirit of Ireland, maidir leis na hacmhainní sin agus maidir leis an potential atá leis an ghné sin den díospóireacht faoi chúrsaí fuinnimh?