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

I would to respond to Deputy Dooley's comment that the ultimate aim of our report is to impact on the industries that are responsible for the most emissions. He articulated an interesting thesis that sounds plausible. It would be great if companies such as Glanbia, the Goodman companies and Exxon Mobile and all of the global corporations would have to pay more towards carbon emissions, which would be ring-fenced to help poor people change their behaviour. It is a great thesis, but there is no empirical evidence for it anywhere in the world. My problem is that the committee allowed an ESRI-Climate Action report on why carbon tax must be increased to €80 a tonne - it is quoted in the amendment - to be dropped into the middle of the proceedings and did not allow time for counter evidence. There is no evidence to back up Deputy Dooley's claim that this tax would be passed on to the global emissions of the dirtiest industries in the world. This tax will be passed on to ordinary people, end of story. That is why I say that one can have any colour car one wants as long as it is black.

I want my motion decoupled. I will go back to the original text that I proposed in paragraph 4 in the original chapter on financing climate change.

The Committee recommends that the Government conduct a review to be completed by June 2019 into the most appropriate measure of, extent and nature of fuel poverty across all cohorts and to include in this review the short, medium and long-term impact of increasing the carbon tax.

I do not believe this amendment goes anywhere near it. It is a play on words. Hats off to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael; they are brilliant with words. I hope I learn that skills some day to throw words back at them.