Use public transport, Ahern told

John Gormley (Green Party, Dublin South East) suggested that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern change his car and use public transport to lead by example in the carbon neutral campaign.

He did not, he said, expect to see Mr Ahern on a bicycle soon, but using public transport would allow him to see what people must suffer. "If he saw what people must deal with, he might improve the situation."

Mr Ahern said that he was on the Dart recently and found that what Mr Gormley had said was right. "I came to realise how much better it is and how much more sociable and efficient than being stuck in traffic." Mr Gormley suggested that the Taoiseach should try a train sometime.

Mr Ahern replied: "I was on the Luas as well and he is right that the standard of public transport has changed dramatically. I have not been in the new buses yet, but I shall try that, too, through the new bus corridors."

Earlier, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte asked about about plans by the Department of the Taoiseach to become carbon neutral.

"Has any comparison been carried out between, for example, the greater use of commercial travel and ministerial travel?" Mr Ahern said there was a plan across departments, including his, to help reduce carbon emissions. The plan dealt particularly with recycling, reusing and how they handled old machines, such as computers, copiers and so on.

There was a procurement plan regarding purchases that took account of environmental needs.

"There are plans to do even more and the department would admit that we could do new things, ranging from brown bins to using some parts of old computers." On transport, the department was trying to do more work regarding conference meetings so as to cut down on the level of travel, he said.