Back to Uni....

FINALLY I'm out of Health and into Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It's a steep learning curve for me, a bit like going back to University but I'm learning fast. Its real cutting edge stuff particularly meeting the challenge of global warming. To make a difference means bringing about a dramatic change to our energy usage.

There is a personal challenge fro me in getting to grips with the Communications brief. Technology is moving so rapidly that everyone in this area seems to be straining to keep up. There is a pioneering aspect to both the Energy and Communications brief that make them exciting even though sometimes also impenetrable.

The Green Party chose this Ministry for obvious reasons and I'm happy to support Eamon Ryan when he does the right thing, but so far I've been disappointed that he attempted to bamboozle the public about the collapse of the Greener Homes Scheme and the introduction of a new emasculated and unfunded scheme.

I'm even less impressed that the Greens U turn on the Civil Unions Bill for same sex couples. This is a fine example of when the Greens could have asserted themselves in government but instead, yet again, Fianna Fail rolled all over them.

Labour is very persistent on this issue. We don't intend to let it go.

I'm always interested to hear views on climate change, next generation networks, civil unions, food versus bio fuels, whatever...so get in touch...