Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will comment on what Deputy Dooley said about the evidence-based plan. There is nothing concrete in it and he should know better than to rely on the Government when the Government has not done anything so far. The Government has had ample time since the committee was set up to propose alternative ways of assisting people to drive that behavioural change. Deputy Dooley's amendment is that when an evidence-based plan is in place, supports and incentives should be increased. It is a little cosy amendment that is well worded in the sense that is says everything and nothing, but at the same time all it does is endorse the carbon tax for all the reasons that Fianna Fáil opposed it 24 hours ago.

Overall this report is very good and we are supportive of the majority of the recommendations. One has to provide alternatives to drive behavioural changes. We could not support the proposals on carbon tax in chapter 6, but we fully support the majority of the chapters. Yesterday, the Fianna Fáil members made the same case as we in Sinn Fein did, so perhaps they would like to support our amendment, which deletes chapter 6 and any references to carbon tax in the report. We would have a fine report, which incorporates all of the other recommendations that the majority support. We should omit the carbon tax proposals until such time as we get a solid commitment to a plan, timeframe, scale and date from the Government as to when it will offer alternatives to drive that behavioural change.