Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is clear to all of us from talking to people on the doorsteps in recent weeks that they want more ambition from all of us in the context of climate change. We have to reduce our carbon emissions by half by 2030, from 60 million tonnes to 33 million tonnes. Not all parts of the economy will transform at the same speed. Some changes are easier to achieve, and for us to envisage. Wind energy generation fits Ireland's natural advantages and I am confident that the right combination of public and private investment can ensure we meet the ambitious targets of 70% of renewables in electricity by 2030. By 2050, we should also be generating 100% renewable electricity, with excess energy being exported via the links to Britain and France.

As the Minister is aware, transforming to a low-energy economy in other sectors will be more challenging. Local government could lead the way on sustainability through its role in terms of planning and developing local government and local area plans. As an immediate first step, all local authorities should be required to measure accurately and report annually on their carbon footprints, from the buildings they occupy, to their housing stock, to their vehicles and on to all their various other activities. Local authorities should set ambitious targets in order that they can experiment, be incentivised to try out new technologies, learn best practice and consider what is best international practice. This research and development at local authority level would help build up a pool of expertise that we need to impact across the economy. Local authorities should take the lead. They could discover new ways that work in building technologies, planning, sustainable settlements, electric and biodiesel vehicles, retrofitting, electric-heating technology, solar panels, etc.

All public buildings should be retrofitted as a matter of priority. All local authority housing should be next. That would give rise to a significant improvement. It would reduce fuel poverty by ensuring that people have modernised homes that they can afford to keep warm. We should be aiming to retrofit 100,000 homes annually. That is hugely ambitious but if we have the will, it can be achieved.

Will the Government agree that all local authorities should aim to set net targets of being carbon neutral by 2030 in terms of their own carbon footprints? If we cannot achieve this ambition at local authority level, how can we expect the rest of the economy to achieve it? Will the Government commit to putting in place the necessary funds to enable local authorities to access the resources they need in order to implement practical actions that will achieve these ambitious targets?

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