Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Green Party for bringing forward this Bill. As my colleagues said, we support its thrust and acknowledge that it builds on the commitment given by the all-party committee. We will seek to play our part, as will many others, in debate, change and alteration in order that, by agreement, we can arrive at a conclusion and move forward to address the issues. Everyone here realises what is necessary to ensure the planet, the country, the economy and the environment work as one to the benefit of all, rather than to the detriment of anyone.

I was surprised to hear the Minister say he would allow the Bill to pass on this Stage but that he might proceed with a money message at the relevant crossroads. He might perhaps supersede it by hypothecation of carbon tax revenue and having legislation in place to ensure it will meet the demands of a commission. Since the announcement by Bord na Móna last October of the acceleration of its decarbonisation plan, I have, to put it mildly, been disappointed on two fronts by Fine Gael's and the Government's response and reaction. I was disappointed by the announcement. Despite the mood music and the right sentiments being expressed, as is often the case, the rhetoric was not matched by the actions needed. I was also disappointed, to say the least, by the Government's failure to insist on entities such as the ESB pursuing Government policy and moving forward by last Thursday with a request for an appeal or judicial review of the decision made by An Bord Pleanála. That decision flies in the face of Government policy to co-fuel biomass and peat in power plants and transition towards moving away from peat. We all acknowledged and accepted the part we had to play in ensuring that changeover happened in a timely fashion. However, the time afforded would have allowed possible alternatives to be found. There might also have been options, instead of the economy being thrown off the cliff, as is now possibly the case.

I remember speaking during Leaders' Questions in October in the days immediately after the announcement of An Bord Pleanála's decision. I sought the establishment of a transition forum and commission. I also sought verification that Ireland had applied to the Coal Regions in Transition Initiative fund and information on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, EGF. I also requested the ring-fencing of funding from carbon tax revenue, which stands at €400 million to date. The Tánaiste answered and stated both he and the Government would work with others to ensure they could plan for a fair deal and manage it in a way which would not undermine income or regions. We have not, however, seen a relevant forum being set up. We have seen, in County Offaly for example, a transition team made up of stakeholders and State bodies, the job of which would have been to respond. I saw it as a member of the forum. Adequate Government funds have not been targeted to deal with the situation. That should have been the case, instead of drawing from existing funds through the wide range of options mentioned by the Minister. Those option are available to the country as a whole.

Regarding the recent Shannonbridge decision, it is Government policy to co-fuel. It was contained in all of the relevant documentation submitted by all of the relevant Departments to the European Union. An Taisce's contention that there should be an immediate cessation was upheld by An Bord Pleanála. There were issues with transportation and so forth. Those issues could, however, have been addressed as a condition of a commission favourably and to the satisfaction of those raising concerns. During our discussions in the immediate aftermath of the decision the Minister visited Tullamore and met representatives from the region. It was incumbent on him to ensure the ESB would seek a judicial review of the decision. I would have thought that in the democratic process we have grown to love and appreciate that the Government set policy and others followed it, rather than An Taisce setting policy and the Government and An Bord Pleanála following it. That appears to be what has happened.

To me and all those I represent, the knock-on effects of the decision are all too plain to see. I am especially mindful of Lanesborough and Edenderry power stations. The decision will mean almost the immediate closure of these two stations. It will also mean the immediate cessation of harvesting associated with supplying peat to the stations. The workers, communities, counties and regions are being thrown off a cliff. That is happening, instead of the fulfilment of the commitment given to us last year that the power stations would be phased out over a period of seven or eight years and that a transition forum with adequate funding would be put in place in the meantime to deal with the fallout from the closures. The localities, communities, counties and regions bought into that commitment. To be now thrown off the cliff flies in the face of the commitment given.

A body such as the one proposed would fund, reward and assist local authorities and local transition forums in the various counties. I am mindful of the special status of my county which has 1,000 of the remaining 1,500 or 1,600 members of the workforce in Bord na Móna, notwithstanding the efforts, commitment, willingness and appreciation of other counties to participate. Others have mentioned the role Bord na Móna has played in their counties, communities and economies. Any such body would seek to reward and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. It would also look at the options for alternatives, not only in the energy sphere but in other spheres of employment also I am conscious too of the Minister's recent visit to the new battery power plant that will support renewables and wind energy generation. It was opened last week by an indigenous company in Tullamore, Lumcloon Energy, which has partnered with backers in Korea at no cost to the State. If we put independent private investment in place, that innovation and success can be the prototype for exportation to other economies in the future. That is the innovation and alternative form of employment within the energy sector that can succeed.

To get back to the carbon tax funding and any increase there may be, any legislation to ring-fence those funds would have to contain three strands. It would have to be poverty proofed, it would have to include initiatives, programmes, grants and rewards and it would have to include relevant and efficient products and renewables to assist those we represent to provide alternative renewables and methods to assist the climate action plan mentioned by the Minister. It would have at its core a targeted fund allocated to those regions most affected by the transition, particularly given that the pace of transition is no longer the eight or nine years envisaged at this time last year.

In the 1940s, the Government of the day gave the remit to create jobs in the midlands region to Bord na Móna which, in the 1980s, had a workforce of approximately 8,000. With the best will in the world, Bord na Móna can no longer meet that remit, notwithstanding its efforts such as trials in the growth of herbs and cannabis and looking at using the land for energy parks. I hope and expect those lands and properties and the industrial plant will be there for others to invest in and that these forums and the commission will bring forward ideas and initiatives to benefit the communities and regions. It could lead to energy parks that would reward communities, including through their profits. This is the type of innovation we now pass over to the Government.

The remit is back with the Government. Bord na Móna can no longer meet the commitment it made and the remit it was given in the 1940s. It is for local authorities to build on the success of Bord na Móna and provide the package comprising Lough Boora, greenways, Clonmacnoise and all the midlands has to offer. It is about all of the stakeholders working together with availability of the right funding, innovation and representation, as is prescribed, to allow communities bring us forward in a way that recognises the needs associated with climate change and the contribution made by the State and its bodies to areas such as those I represent.

The State is now in a position to recommit to them in a different and new way but equally in a way that can reward those communities and allow the people in them the opportunity to succeed, provide jobs and remain in the counties they love with the lifestyle they love. This can be done with the right will and effort. The Minister should make no mistake about it. In the absence of this being done in the short few months available to him it will be an election issue. Support is growing for the type of commitments contained in the Bill and the sentiments expressed in our policy, which is at variance with that of the Minister. This has been obvious and plain to see since last October.

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