Dr. Paul Deane:

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I have a short, quick personal reflection on the question asked on the political perspective. We tend to focus on the negative consequences of inaction rather than the positive consequences of doing something. This tends to be a challenge across society. Were we to look at the positive consequences for Ireland and what we explain to the public, schools and people we meet, at present we are one of the most fossil-fuel reliant economies in Europe and are the most fossil-fuel reliant economy in north-western Europe. The price of this reliance is the huge cost we pay to heat our homes and fuel our cars. If you walk into town today, look at the forecourts and the price of petrol and diesel. The price is high, not because of decisions we have taken in Ireland but because of decisions taken by others outside of Ireland. When you outsource your energy supply in terms of fossil fuels, you outsource decision-making and the ability to make positive benefits.

Moving away from fossil fuels in Ireland is a win-win situation in many ways. When we reduce greenhouse gas pollution, you tend to increase other things such as jobs, well-being, access to nature and opportunities for farmers. Focusing on the positive benefits tends to be an easier way in for people than is focusing on the negatives. Our reliance on fossil fuels is costing us a fortune in Ireland. I have spoken to previous committees on this issue highlighting that in 2022, we were spending €1 million every hour importing oil and gas into Ireland. We have a wealth of natural resources which we can access ourselves. We have a great story to tell about the future. We do not do enough of a service to ourselves in terms of promoting the benefits. It is not just about reducing pollution, it is about increasing our resilience and making Ireland a better place. That was a quick short personal reflection on the messaging and the political stance around this report. I thank the committee.