Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleague Deputy Brian Stanley on introducing this Bill on microgeneration. This is very welcome legislation, which would allow excess energy produced by small scale domestic microgenerators, such as photovoltaic panels or small wind turbines, to be fed into the national grid and provides that householders would be paid for it, which is currently not the case. This type of system would be of great benefit to many of my constituents in Limerick who have asked me why this is not already provided for. The change would incentivise people to install renewable energy sources, as they could use them for their own use. It would be considerably cheaper for them in the long run and would allow people to use the excess electricity they generate as a source of income. It would be excellent for society and the environment. I am at a loss to understand how anyone would not support the Bill.

It is important for Opposition parties to bring forward legislation aimed at contributing to the fight against climate change because, unfortunately, the Government has no interest in the issue. Ireland has already agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 2005 levels. Last week, I was genuinely shocked to read that Ireland is set to miss its 2020 emission targets by 95%. Many people, especially younger citizens, are outraged by our lack of action in this area. While I was aware that we were off target, it is shocking that we will miss them by such a margin. Fine Gael can add climate change to the policy areas of health, housing, childcare, broadband and insurance costs in which it is utterly failing our people. For the life of me, I cannot understand the thinking behind Government policy in this area. Instead of investing heavily in renewables to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce our emissions, we are stockpiling money in case the banks need another bailout and hurtling towards 2020 when we will miss our target by a country mile and have to pay millions in fines to Europe every year, leaving even less money to invest in renewables. This is utter madness.

I commend again my colleague Deputy Stanley on bringing forward this important Bill. I hope progressive parties in the Dáil, which want to chart a different and more ambitious course in our fight against climate change, will lend their support to it.

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