Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Donnelly for appearing and answering our numerous questions.

On just transition and the role the Climate Change Advisory Council plays in Government policy, Ms Donnelly indicated the council does not make Government policy but reviews it to see if it is in line with the climate action plan. Ms Donnelly stated that all voices needed to be heard, we must listen to everyone and a just transition and the move away from the fossil fuel industry should not involve loss of income and should involve retraining people properly and the provision of jobs. How does the experience in Bord na Móna tie in with the climate action plan and what the CCAC would like to see happen? Does the council intend to review that whole experience? I ask because I view it as the first real litmus test for the Government in just transition. I ask Ms Donnelly to comment on how this matter has been dealt with.

On meat production, I am also concerned about how Government policy fits in with the views of the Climate Change Advisory Council. We know the beef sector is effectively controlled by a handful of very profitable companies. Over the years, we have heard so much about beef barons while at the same time many small farmers struggle to get by with the low prices they are paid at the farm gate. Subsidies favour larger producers to build a model the Government has promoted to export beef and dairy to new markets. Has the council seen a change in Government policy towards a just transition for smaller farmers and reducing emissions?

Ms Donnelly spoke of the need to be energy efficient while having a target to reduce emissions. Having listened to many questions and answers about the data centres and the commitment given by the Government to develop a further 2 GW of gas, I am still struggling. As Senator Boylan mentioned, at a recent industry conference EirGrid confirmed to the data centre industry that this 2 GW of gas-fired power is to allow them to develop and prevent them from shutting down. Does this not contradict the ambitions of the plan and the role of the Climate Change Advisory Council? If we adopt this policy, Ireland will lock itself into another 20 or 25 years of gas infrastructure, which flies in the face of the idea that we need to move away from this energy.

I am very glad to hear that Ms Donnelly described as a policy failure the shocking fact that our forestry sector has become a net emitter of CO2. Given the repeated failures to meet the afforestation targets along with other climate-related issues such as biodiversity loss, is it now time to review the role of Coillte and revisit its mandate? Under its current commercial model, Coillte does not favour or prioritise the environment or manage and maintain what will be valuable for us in future in terms of climate emissions?