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

I was just going to say that to Deputy Smith.

It is not just this Bill. Party leaders had an interesting meeting with the Taoiseach recently talking about good and bad legislation and I made the point that the good legislation is coming from this side of the House. Deputy Lawless has introduced legislation on digital transparency, Sinn Féin has introduced legislation on the islands, there were emotional scenes in the Seanad last night because Deputy Sherlock, with my colleague, Senator Grace O'Sullivan, put forward legislation on microbeads. Deputy Bríd Smith said she was fearful that her Bill may not get through. I say to her be not afraid because Deputy Dooley recognises that what we want to do on the west coast of this country is get investment into the alternative, cleaner future and not into oil and gas. We do not need that. It will not benefit our people. We have to make a decision on where we put our money. There is a clear majority in this House for putting our money in the clean, green alternative future. In fairness to the Minister and to Fine Gael, they recognise in this Bill that this makes sense and that is why I am speaking for the amendment. This is why it is a very good, powerful day because there is unanimity across this House on this issue.

When we unite we are strong. We have been strong on the Brexit negotiations because we have been together on it. We did the referendum to repeal the eighth amendment to the Constitution well because while there was not total unanimity it was handled in a proper democratic way. I am in favour of this amendment because it does say that politics can work in a better way in this country and it says very clearly that we have to divest. We have to start playing our part. That starts, as the great Bill McKibben says, for the environmental movement, in not always putting the onus on the individual but sometimes on the State and the lawmakers who by their laws make it easier for us to do the right thing. That is what Deputy Pringle's Bill does. I commend him and Trócaire and everyone else who has been campaigning for this. It is a proud, historic and happy day and this Dáil actually is doing some good stuff. We should keep at it and we serve our people well when we do.

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