Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome the Bill, which implements the policies of the previous Government, although Opposition Senators may not wish to acknowledge that. There is good intent on all sides of the House to clean up this particular mess. We are working assiduously to clean up the economic and financial mess, and the Taoiseach is abroad today trying to do so. The environmental mess caused through not dealing with this problem over the last number of years is also being dealt with, and this is welcome. Seven or eight months into office, we have a Bill before us which will go through committee. If suitable amendments are tabled I have no doubt the Minister will be more than happy to examine them and deal with them accordingly.

I commend the people and council of County Cavan who saw the light a long time ago and put regulations in place to deal with this problem. I was at a conference in Cork several years ago at which the environmental director for Cavan County Council gave a very enlightening presentation on how Cavan had dealt with the issue. Interestingly, the European Court of Justice judgment against Ireland exempted County Cavan. It is a bit rich that a certain MEP in Ireland West is going around holding public meetings berating this legislation. I wonder whether the same MEP held a meeting in Cavan. It would be interesting to know whether that happened.