David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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The figures are contained in the ESRI opening statement. Would it not be better if we provided people with alternatives? For example, if we were making grants available for people to transition from heating their homes with oil or gas, would that not be a better way of using money rather than increasing the carbon tax? Would providing alternatives not be a better option than increasing carbon tax, whether it is public transport, ensuring that people can transition from using carbon fuels to heat their homes, or making electric cars cheaper, more accessible and more favourable? Has the ESRI done any analysis of those alternatives and what the outcome would be in terms of reduced emissions? Rather than focus on carbon tax increases, would we be better to focus on enabling people to change their behaviour? What analysis has the ESRI done on the enabling part rather than on the tax part?