Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is concerned we might cut across the EU process which is likely to set targets up to 2030. The whole point of the amendment, however, is that we set out our own targets. We have to take responsibility to put our own house in order. We have neglected this issue for the past several years and now, not just the Government but every citizen must play catch-up on climate change. We should not sit back and wait for Big Brother to tell us when to move with the centre line. This issue is vitally important to the future economic as well as environmental and social well-being of the State.

It is important we accept this modest proposal to include agreed targets of reductions in CO2 emissions through 2050. I cannot figure out for the life of me why the Government is against a 30-year plan in this regard. The Minister of State may recall that the Dáil sat into the early hours of the morning - the sun was shining when we left Leinster House - when we planned beyond 2050 and crystallised the promissory note into a sovereign bond. We planned then beyond 2050 when we nailed the debt to the backs of our children with a simple IOU note.

This amendment gives us an opportunity to act positively in dealing with our environmental responsibilities, reduce our carbon emissions and put forward the country’s clean air levels. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government made an announcement on the latter on Monday concerning clean air. This amendment gives another chance to add to that positive development, highlighting Ireland takes its environmental responsibilities seriously.

We are trying to sell Irish food abroad. Somewhere along the line, we have to improve, and be seen to improve, food quality, not just the food we are consuming here but what we are exporting to world markets. There is much talk about opening up markets in China and, particularly, the high-end market in America. We have to be seen to be green and clean. Our food needs to be seen as safe. This is an opportunity to do this.

It would be a missed opportunity if we just planned for the next four or five years.

We should not be sitting back and waiting for the EU. How many times in the past 30 or 40 years has the EU had to come in?

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