Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday the Climate Change Advisory Council came out with yet another damning report on the Government's action on climate change. It calls for a completely different approach in the power generation sector. The Government has argued we should have 40% renewables by 2030 but we think it could be 75%. The council argues the transport budget must be changed in favour of public transport but the Government's national planning framework is about inter-urban motorways. The council has indicated that we must change agriculture, echoing what Commissioner Phil Hogan, of all people, said on Monday. The argument is we have got it wrong and we must change and start greening Irish agriculture. Rather than proposing that we raise carbon tax to pay fines, which is all I have heard the Taoiseach say, will he admit that what the Government is doing is not working, it is not ambitious enough and it must change? What will the Government change and what will happen to take the Government off the path it is on? It should not respond by saying we have a national mitigation plan. The Climate Change Advisory Council has said it is not right and it will not work.

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