Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Bean who has outlined what the Department has tried to do but I do not get the impression that it has a vision. Perhaps that is because of the role it plays in so many other areas but it has not grasped the role it must play from a climate change perspective and the opportunity that presents. If she can point out one speech the Minister has made on this area, it will be news to me because I certainly have not heard one. I will leave his statement of priorities because that is a political issue. I do not recall him setting out the role of the Department in encouraging a wider roll-out of EVs. That is regrettable when one considers how far behind we have fallen. I could be political and blame him but I do not wish to blame the Department either. Is there a push within the Department to encourage him? If so, perhaps an FOI request will help me to identify whether he is negligent in his duties and not listening to his officials. The Department has not grasped the nettle. It has been indicated to me on the floor of the Dáil that the Department does not necessarily have control over this. Greater engagement is needed. Ms Bean indicated that the percentages are a little off and that perhaps we can do better but we cannot even start from where we are. The approach needs to be disrupted.