Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I want the House to note the Minister have given us a rationale for privatising the national broadband plan, and the money is to be used for key issues such as climate action. I will hold the Minister to this for as long as I can stay in the House to do so, and I will keep a close eye on it. It was a big mistake to privatise broadband, but if the Minister is going to do it and put the money into climate action then let us see the colour of this money.

We need a plan for public transport to see it is not as a burden but an opportunity to stop hiving off State routes to top private operators. As an essential part of any plan to deal with climate change we have to get carbon emissions and cars off the road. We also need to think strongly about our targets. We are way off target and the EPA report yesterday, just so people do not get too alarmed about it, is a disaster. We will be 14% below our targets by 2020. This is a very worrying development for us. There is much to be addressed.

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