Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

The Taoiseach is the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change and energy security. What is the role of the communications unit in communicating the message about what will be needed in the future to deal with the targets set for this country and the proposals the Government has to deal with these two major issues? This is where a communications unit should exercise itself. There is a total lack of understanding among the public about what we are facing. Rather than clipping items from newspapers, could this unit spend its time informing the public about the serious issues that the Taoiseach, as chairperson of the Cabinet sub-committee, and his Government colleagues must face in agriculture, transport and other Departments? Nobody has a clue about this. We have set ourselves targets that are not being achieved and we are entering into an agreement for 2012 to 2020 for further major cuts of up of 30% in our emissions. This will have effects on industry, farming and various aspects of people's lives and they must be prepared for it. I ask the Taoiseach to direct the energies of the communications unit to informing the public and the media of what we must do to prepare ourselves.

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