Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome this Bill introduced by Deputy Catherine Murphy and congratulate her on it. It is part of her outstanding contribution to Dáil Éireann since she was elected to this house. It is sad that we are still at this stage in regard to climate change legislation. The Green Party, which was in government in the last Dáil, talked about this subject for decades.

During its three to three and a half years in government, the Green Party had the opportunity to ensure that action was taken but it did nothing. Of course it assisted Fianna Fáil in wrecking the country financially but it did nothing to advance matters in respect of something which, apparently, is one of its primary aims.

The Minister, Deputy Hogan, who made his contribution earlier, has not brought forward the planned legislation on climate change because he is very opposed to the imposition of binding targets after 2020. I understand that the question of targets actually divides the two parties in government, that the Labour Party is holding out for the imposition of strong targets after 2020, that the Fine Gael Minister is not prepared to accept the latter and that this is the reason behind the delay in introducing the legislation. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, might cast some light on this matter. I commend Labour Party colleagues for holding the line in respect of this issue. Targets are one of the key elements of Deputy Catherine Murphy's Bill and it is important to make the point that such targets would have to be included in any credible climate change legislation.

The evidence for climate change remains very clear despite the impact of the recession and the fall in emissions. Last week, The Guardiannewspaper identified flooding as the key risk from and the main evidence of the existence of climate change. Major flooding occurred in the UK in 2009 and again last year and the British Prime Minister was obliged to reverse cuts in respect of flood defences. The reason for the latter is because 600,000 plus homes in the UK are built on flood plains and are at serious risk from the effects of climate change. Super-storm Sandy recently had a devastating impact on New Jersey and other parts of the east coast of the United States. In a typically creative and innovative way, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has launched his own climate change strategy which is aimed at reducing New York's carbon footprint by 30% by 2020.

Ireland has also experienced devastating floods. In 2009, for example, Cork city was in terrible danger of being devastated by major flooding. Dublin was affected by what has come to be known as the "monster rain" of 2011, when my constituency, that of Deputy Kevin Humphreys and other places throughout the four local authority areas in the county suffered greatly as a result of very unusual floods which occurred in rivers such as the Tolka and the Dodder. Dublin City Council estimates that on the night of 24 October 2011, 90 mm of rain fell. This was four times the amount which would usually fall during the heaviest spells of rain.

There continues to be strong evidence for climate change. For example, Met Éireann estimates that the average temperature in Ireland increased by 0.75° Celsius in the past two decades and that this country is approximately 5% wetter than was the case 30 years ago. Various modelling estimates carried out by our universities - including by the Ryan institute at NUI Galway - indicate that sea levels on our coasts will probably rise by 18.5 inches by the end of the century. This prompts one to inquire as to the position with regard to the Government's Bill and why it has been necessary for the leader of the Independent group to come forward with comprehensive legislation. If the Minister introduced the legislation, he would then be able to work closely with local authorities on this matter in the way Deputy Kevin Humphreys and I did when we led the Labour Party's representation on Dublin City Council and tried to encourage the latter to obtain those kinds of local responses.

Energy security is clearly very important. When I served as the Labour Party's energy spokesperson, I felt that the escalating price of energy formed part of the overall picture. The impact of such an escalation on poorer families is of grave concern. It is important that Deputy Catherine Murphy has made provision in this regard in her Bill.

Members have been briefed on the issue of climate change by various campaigning groups, including Christian Aid, Stop Climate Chaos and Friends of the Earth. The nub of the issue appears to be that the Minister is balking at introducing binding targets. Perhaps the Minister of State will address that matter during his contribution. Section 4(2)(a) and (b) are very important and set out the legally-binding clause that emissions should be reduced by at least 40% on the 1990 level, a 40% plus reduction by 2030 and an 80% reduction by 2050. Section 5 sets out that the Minister must establish a national energy and security plan within a year of the legislation coming into force and that this would then be renewed every five years. It also provides that the Minister should publish a draft national plan on energy security and climate change.

Section 7, which is one of the best aspects of the Bill, relates to the establishment of a commission on energy security and climate change. When I introduced my own Private Members' Bill last year, I proposed that a new national body be set up. People are often fearful of establishing further quangos. However, an independent body of the type suggested by Deputy Catherine Murphy and me would be important in the context of showing how we are seeking to develop policies in this entire area.

Another aspect in respect of which the Bill before the House makes provision is an annual statement. One of the Green Party's achievements in the previous Dáil was to ensure that a carbon budget was introduced each year. While it had little impact and bore scant resemblance to reality, it was useful - in the absence of climate change legislation - to examine the carbon budget each year. I hope the Minister will make provision for an annual statement in the Bill he brings forward.

I reiterate that Deputy Catherine Murphy is to be commended on bringing forward this Bill. The provisions it contains in respect of legally binding targets, the drafting of a national energy security and climate change plan and the establishment of an independent commission on energy security and climate change are very important. Perhaps the Minister could not accept the fact that the House has been presented with this comprehensive legislation and this is preventing him from incorporating its provisions in the heads of the Bill on climate change he proposes to present to the relevant committee. I congratulate Deputy Catherine Murphy on the Bill and thank her for giving the House the opportunity to discuss this matter.

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