Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A reference in several earlier contributions was pertinent to the debate on climate change, namely, the investment of taxpayers’ money through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, in carbon-intensive companies. It forms part of an overall discussion which we need to have in this Chamber. I welcome Deputy Eamon Ryan’s earlier comments on the need for us to have a proper debate on the point at which investments made by the State and its various arms should become an issue of human health rather than the financial needs of the State. Under the current circumstances, one can understand ISIF investing moneys in various profitable companies. However, there are a range of alternative investments. I suppose it would require a ministerial intervention or debate in the House to alter the likes of the investment strategy of ISIF.

One of the first Bills shepherded through the House by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, was the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. It was debated last February and I was pleased to contribute on it. It reinforced our international commitments to tackling climate change and ensured they will be implemented. While we become aware of the environmental implications of our industries and farming across the State, it is important that we introduce robust targets to ensure we achieve the change needed to stave off the effects of climate change as predicted, although not uniformly, by academia and environmental science. We must ensure our nation develops alongside the targets set by other nations through the Paris Agreement.

It will give us a fighting chance not just to become independent in terms of our consumption of fossil fuels but to allow us to find alternatives.

Afforestation was mentioned earlier by Deputy Cowen. This is a very interesting issue because I have had reason to become informed about the use of willow. A project has been grant-aided by the EU to the tune of about €10 million. A group in my constituency is seeking a site to develop such progressive opportunities to develop and afforest our country, which was deforested many centuries ago by the British. Unfortunately, we have not been very good at replanting our native trees and forests despite the fact that there have been concerted efforts over a number of decades to do so. It is something we should look at more in respect of the kind of carbon footprint we will leave behind us.

One of the most important aspects of tackling climate change in this jurisdiction will be the alternatives to our reliance on fossil fuels, most significantly, the importation of oil from the Middle East and elsewhere. It is essential that we develop, nurture and encourage other forms of energy generation in this country and financially incentivise them. The fact that more electric vehicles that are not just reliable but affordable have come on the market is welcome. We are seeing more electricity points for the purposes of charging these vehicles. Of course, one still has to go back to the source of the energy that is charging, which is primarily fossil fuels such as peat, oil and other forms of energy generation. We must address this in the context not just of the commitments we have given through various international agreements but our own legislation, directives and policy directions emanating from this House and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

In the next phase of this Parliament, particularly if the minority Government emerges over the coming days or week, it is essential that Members from all parties and none, and not just Members sitting on this side, make a contribution about the importance of climate change. I was fortunate to be in the Chair for the past 90 minutes during this debate. Quite a number of constructive offerings were made by all Members. This is a very important part of the new type of Dáil arithmetic we find ourselves with.

Other issues include coastal erosion, which has been quite prominent in recent times, and the extensive flooding that has occurred in recent years. Mitigating against the devastation caused to livelihoods, homes and businesses by those floods must be addressed. Other issues include rising sea levels and increased vehicular usage that are causing major issues not just in terms of public transport but in terms of carbon output by those vehicles. While I would not encourage the switching off of a million or so central heating systems, I understand what Deputy Ryan is talking about. I agree with him, although perhaps not in the same kind of timeframe. As I said at the outset, I do think it is a debate we should be having with regard to the economics of climate change and its long-term effects on the State and its citizens if we ignore it or make gestures towards addressing it without tackling it head on. I am thankful for the opportunity to address this issue again, as I have done in the past. I hope to make a valued contribution to legislation in this regard as we move into the next few years.

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