Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's officials and advisers are very optimistic people. I cannot see how transport is going to reach 8% or 9% by 2020, given the rate at which we are going in the opposite direction. There will need to be a great number of electric cars put on the road to turn that one around. I am trying to be honest.

There needs to be an honest assessment of this because we are not in a good place. We have hit a carbon cliff. We are trying to play catch-up and we need specific measures. What specific measures are being put in place? What is happening in transport? The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport should be in the Chamber telling us. We need to find sectoral targets. Does the Minister not agree at this stage?

I wish to ask the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, a particular question regarding the Minister with responsibility for local government. I realise that the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government may be distracted with the housing issue and other matters, but he has a major role to play. For God's sake, there is supposed to be reform of local authorities. There is a role for local authorities as the tier of government closest to the people. Why are we not engaging with local authorities in the task of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions as well as engaging communities through the local authorities?

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