Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If the Deputy wanted to open the dictionary and find an example of an opposition that has been dishonest, he would find Sinn Féin in the same dictionary. Sinn Féin comes forward and claims it is serious about trying to make a difference to the potentially catastrophic decay of our climate, but it will not advocate any measure that is challenging in order to make a difference to that existential risk. The Deputy knows that the majority of scientists and economists, who are trying to form a view as to what we can do to save our planet, are of the view that an increase in carbon taxation can play a role in doing that in conjunction with other measures. The Deputy knows that. He continues to make the case that such measures are not needed despite the level of challenge we are facing. He makes the case that he wants to be honest and play a role in avoiding and reducing the climate change crisis we are facing, but he will not advocate a single measure that is challenging or difficult to do it.

I am being honest in acknowledging that if we are going to reshape our economy and help protect our society as we do it, in the face of environmental disaster, all the ways of doing it are not easy. I do not take for one moment the Deputy's trite points regarding the Government being out of touch or not aware of the challenge people are facing. Of course we are aware. Of course I know. Of course we appreciate the huge challenges that so many are facing due to the rising costs of energy and daily living. Of course I appreciate that, but my appreciation of it cannot diminish the need for me to also be honest. The honesty about what we face is that, because so much of what is happening is outside of our control, we cannot protect or cover all the cost in relation to it. I am aware of the commitment the Taoiseach made in ensuring that nobody is worse off due to the changing carbon tax. I will certainly work to bring forward measures to the Government that aim to do that.

On the Deputy's point about hypothecation, he is right in that it is not legally in place at present. We have not set up such a fund, but it is also the case that every cent of the last three increases in carbon taxation have been set aside to go into measures to either help with the cost of fuel going up or to invest in things that could make a difference to our economy and society being able to manage climate change.

I think what the Deputy is suggesting in regard to his point on the bank levy is that if I had charged the bank levy for another year, I could have avoided some of the costs that are here. However, these banks are going. They are getting ready to leave. When they leave, the bank levy they were paying will go with them, whereas the expenditure commitments I am referring to here that we will have to incur, particularly when it comes to climate change, many of them will be permanent. With that in mind, using a bank levy revenue, even if I were to do what the Deputy has advocated, that might only be available for another year will not help with funding expenditures and needs that are likely to stretch way beyond that.