Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. Deputy Eoghan Murphy covered many of the areas I wish to cover and I agree with much of what he said.

One of the biggest issues concerning climate change is that Governments by their very nature think in five-year cycles. What we are asking in this context is that we should look to 2050 which seems a long way off. However, if there is a serious problem and there is only so much one can do in a certain timescale then one must start to work immediately. It is very important that the debate continues for a long period. If we ever have a spell of bad weather in this country such as a storm or severe flooding, for the 24 hours after it we discuss whether it is due to climate change. One is almost guaranteed to have Professor Sweeney on a local radio station discussing how the weather event is linked to climate change, and then the debate stops and the news agenda and the media move on and climate change is no longer a current topic.

The film, "The Day After Tomorrow", sets out the nuclear option if we do not face up to the problem of climate change but when people saw the film they said that would never happen, that is was so far fetched it would not be a problem for us. However, climate change is an issue and we must address it seriously. The Bill is a welcome start from the Government but there are issues and concerns, as outlined by Deputy Eoghan Murphy. The advisory council must be seen to be independent and it must be able to set out what it considers is going well and what is not going so well. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council speaks with the authority of people who are expert in their area. They have seen the country in recession and that it is now coming out of recession. We take the advice seriously, although we have not accepted much of it. In the context of climate change it is important that we take on board exactly what the experts say we are getting wrong and how we can fix it.

With the timelines as set out currently we will get a plan but it will be too long in the making. Another issue we must address is the view that this country is so small that it does not really matter what we do in the wider world. The United States of America and China make deals with each other and the belief is that if they are doing something then it will solve matters for the rest of us.

That is hardly a positive way to view this problem. We have to do our bit. I agree with the need for climate justice. As a developed country we must do more for those countries in much more dire situations.

We need to consider the model to be adopted in the future. I refer to the midlands where peat is burned. Peat will eventually become extinct as a resource because it is finite rather than renewable. The willow crop was grown for a number of years under the direction of the Government. Farmers were told to grow this crop, that there would be a guaranteed market for it because it would be sold into the chain and they would earn a premium profit. Farmers were very sceptical because they did not want to tie up their lands in growing this crop for a number of years. They were assured this was an energy product and it was the way forward. However, that support then began to be pulled back. The farming community which embraced the idea of growing this energy crop now found that the supports were not available. The supply of peat for energy use will run out. This willow crop had been regarded as the substitute for the future but the incentives to grow it were taken away. We all want to live in a world where we take seriously issues such as climate change and where we can make a significant difference. Any policy for change requires a plan. I have provided one example of where we started off on the right road and pulled back after a number of years. Those farmers who took the leap of faith to grow this crop are now being punished for no fault of their own. This is an example of a lack of joined-up thinking on how to solve the problem in the long run. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will need to consider helping farmers to grow this energy crop as this will help to preserve the peat supplies.

I welcome this Bill but it is only a beginning. We need to set out clear targets. The year 2050 might seem a long time away and I doubt if any of us will be here in 2050. I hope I will not be here even if that were possible. We want to ensure we will live in a much more sustainable world than we do at the moment.

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