Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I first acknowledge Deputy O'Dowd's remark about the large car parking facility in Lissenhall, Swords, near the Malahide Estuary in my constituency. The car park is compliments of the work of very forward-looking councillors some 15 years ago, namely, Councillors Alan Farrell, Darragh O'Brien, Leo Varadkar and Clare Daly, who all supported the zoning of that plan. I thank Deputy O'Dowd for mentioning it.

I am pleased to contribute to this debate on our climate action plan and climate change in general. It is one of the foremost threats facing our country and the globe. For too long, there has been much inaction when it comes to addressing climate change and I am pleased that the Government has brought forward comprehensive plans to fulfil our responsibility to the environment. It is important that we acknowledge collectively the work of the all-party Oireachtas committee. As Deputy Neville mentioned, the committee took eight months to come to this position. I welcome the involvement of the Minister, Deputy Bruton, in the climate action plan, which has been brought forward for debate.

One key finding in the committee's report, and a central part of the climate action plan, is that we continue to work towards the banning of single-use plastics. That is incredibly important. Such a simple change could have a positive impact on how we care for our environment. In the average supermarket selling the usual items, it is astounding just how hard it is to avoid buying plastic and non-degradable fruit trays and packaging. The onus is very much on the citizens of the State to make changes in what they do, how they do it and what they buy. However, it is also incredibly important for our supermarkets, retailers more generally, and manufacturers to re-evaluate how they produce the products they provide us with and whether there is a reasonable level of recycling in this country. We are ahead of target on our green recycling and have been for many yeas, but we clearly need to do more.

Polystyrene should be much more readily recycled. There is often a reluctance to take empty packaging back to the store in which it was bought for recycling, but in most cases the store will take it. However, we have to ask ourselves whether the packaging was really required in the first instance. Often, computer screens and phones will come in polyethylene packaging, which is, I think, called SPI 4 and is not currently recycled in this State. We must take steps either to eradicate these materials from supply chains or to ensure that they are recycled here.

It is very important that we change the source of our energy from the current reliance on oil, gas and peat to more renewable resources. A conversation must take place around wind, wave and solar energy, heat pumps and other sources of electricity and their promotion. Homeowners must be able to generate their own energy and small and medium-sized enterprises should be encouraged to erect electricity generation stations, whether that be turbines or otherwise. I welcome the fact that, separate from this plan, homeowners will be able to feed back into the network the energy that they do not use. In this country there is massive potential to harness renewable energy, particularly given our Atlantic coastline.

My final point is on the retrofit scheme, which I am pleased with. I welcome the Department's announcement that the adaptation and retrofitting grants are being upgraded. However, as I have said privately to the Minister, Deputy Bruton, it is important for this State to recognise the BER standard of a property when considering eligibility for such schemes and not the date when the property was built. Unfortunately, there is a legacy in this country of the implementation of building standards being at best haphazard and at worst bordering on criminal. That is true for work done to a large number of properties well after the closing date for the current grants available to homeowners to upgrade.

It is important that this plan be supported by as many Members of the House as possible, from all parties. We have to have a realistic conversation, among ourselves and with the public, as to how we are going to achieve this and what changes we as individuals must make to ensure that we stave off the worst effects of climate change, which we see every day across the globe.

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