The Taoiseach should do his own research — An Bord Pleanála placed that condition on demand-side management. Given that we are hearing again of the Taoiseach's disagreements with the Minister for Transport on future plans for tolling on the M50, is the Taoiseach's main idea another orbital road that is not included in the Transport 21 plans?

Did the Taoiseach listen last night to his colleague and, some would say, political ally, the President of the United States of America who stated that breakthroughs in technology will help America to reach another great goal, to replace more than 75% of oil imports from the Middle East by 2025? He said that America would have to move beyond a petroleum-based economy and make its dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past. If the Taoiseach thinks that oil will be around to make his orbital route viable in years to come, he is terribly mistaken. Peak oil production has effectively arrived and while $70 a barrel is expensive, it will become much dearer with demand outstripping supply.

The Taoiseach should take note of the lack of vision, even within Sustainable Energy Ireland, which has just published its energy in Ireland report. It seems to be blind. Between 1990 and 2004, primary energy needs grew by 59%, with oil making up 55.8% of imported energy, gas 24.3% and renewables just 2.2% in 2004. Sustainable Energy Ireland can only manage to visualise in 2020 oil making up 53.4%, gas 35% and renewables just 3.3%. Given that European Union member states import on average 50% of their energy requirements, whereas Ireland imports 80% of its energy, does the Taoiseach not appreciate that he is leading us in the wrong direction? Will he agree to publish the Deloitte & Touche report on the electricity market which has been on the desk of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, since before Christmas? Will he include the energy and environmental non-governmental organisations in the partnership talks? Will he sit down with all parties in the House to plan an energy policy to take the country up to 2050 given that such a step is needed?

I have no problem working with the Deputy to examine future energy supplies because that is what the Minister has been actively doing. He has received a range of proposals from many organisations and their input is to be welcomed by everybody.

The reason I support the orbital route is that the city boundary continues to move outwards as the population increases.

That is due to bad planning.

No.

It is true.

Twenty years ago we were told the population would fall below 3.4 million. We now have more people because the country is doing better.

Do they all have to drive to work?

If having more people and not having emigration is bad planning, I disagree. The reason it is necessary to have an orbital route far outside the city is the growth in the greater Dublin area and counties Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.

Why stop at one orbital route? Why not have three of them?

I am trying to answer Deputy Sargent.

I am listening.

I do not agree we have gone the wrong way. The resources available under Transport 21 are being invested in rail, the Luas, the orbital metro and all the areas which will move people off the roads and into public transport.

Transport 21 is imbalanced.

We proved this could be done last year with the opening of the Luas lines, even though some Deputies thought it would never happen. More than 20 million passengers have used the service. Capacity on the DART has increased by 50%. The Deputy will agree that rail, the Luas and the orbital metro route are the ways to move on.

The electrification of the Maynooth line will take until 2015.

Will there be any new buses?