Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are speaking from the same hymn sheet. The Deputy is right, in that a great deal of expert advice is available to us. We must utilise it to make the economic arguments. As I told Deputy Smyth, this is not just a question of considering the long term, given that there are short-term wins for everyone in respect of air quality, which has a direct impact on our health services. A whole-of-Government approach is needed, not just an examination of the long-term economic impact.

A part of the problem that we are examining in the context of the mitigation plan is that the analysis being used by the Government in terms of capital investment in this field does not accurately reflect the challenges being faced. We are considering how to revise that. Deputy Smyth cited the penalties that we will face by 2030, somewhere between €3.5 billion and €5.5 billion, but I do not envisage that we should be looking at that.

Deputy Eamon Ryan is correct that there are huge economic opportunities for Ireland in this regard. We have unique offerings that we must exploit. We need the support of every economic skill available to us inside and outside Government to make that argument.

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