Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Justice Laffoy for her work in chairing the Citizens' Assembly. I also thank all the participants in the Citizens' Assembly who have done an enormous service on this issue and other issues. I have four or five different questions depending on time. I might pose a question, take the answer and move on to the next question if that is acceptable.

When one reads the report, it strikes one that there are very decisive majorities in favour of a range of radical actions or policy changes on the issue of climate change. Some 100% of members recommended that the State should take a leadership role in addressing climate change through mitigation measures. Some 97% of members recommended that climate change should be at the centre of policy-making in Ireland and that there should be an independent body. Some 92% of members were in favour of the expansion of public transport rather than the road network. There were similar majorities in favour of a range of other recommendations. In Ms Justice Laffoy's opinion, what is the reason for that? What was the most compelling evidence or testimony heard by the Citizens' Assembly that caused it to adopt such radical positions with such near-unanimity?