Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have worked collaboratively and it has been a great experience. At the beginning of the meeting, however, when I entered the room, I learned that Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Labour Party and the Green Party have connived because it is not a cross-party amendment but rather one created by those four parties in an attempt to alienate the Sinn Féin members and perhaps one or two other members. I am comfortable with alienation and I do not mind it because it just goes over my head. I am not comfortable, however, with the alienation of the people we represent, whom we have widely consulted, or that we were not consulted in respect of this amendment. We are present to ensure social justice. One cannot say that we as a party are not doing our environmental patriotic duty or that we are somehow against the greening of our economy, nation and all our lives.

I second Deputy Stanley's amendment. Carbon pricing or carbon tax - whatever name one wants to use - is not progressive; it is regressive, and it hurts the people we most need to protect and the people who will protect our country and planet, but we are punishing and blaming them and making them feel guilty. The Government needs to take that on board. It is disappointing and socially unjustifiable to introduce a carbon tax, which is why I am passionate about the matter. I thank the committee for including us in the collaborative, cross-party discussions. I am very upset.