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

I welcome all of the developments outlined by the Minister. It is welcome that this Chamber will be used as a setting for young people. As the Minister indicated, Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg, when asked at their meetings what the key issue for them was, both agreed that climate change was at the top of their agenda. Will the Minister go further and give examples of how we can engage, not just with national institutions but also at local level? We need to change every community in the way the transport, energy, food and energy systems work. While there is an effective scheme of green flags in primary and secondary schools, I encourage the Minister and her relevant ministerial colleagues, namely, the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Communications, Climate Action and Environment, to engage with schools directly such as on the issue of safe routes to schools. At my local school down the road which my daughter attends there are approximately 600 girls, only 20 of whom cycle to school. How can we change that figure? We should involve students by asking for their help and advice on what we could do in practical term to make the leap and change. Such examples which relate to actions on the ground in the community at a local level, not just at the level of Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg, are what we need to listen and take action.

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