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

That is welcome. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, has travelled throughout the country and held a series of public meetings, but he should have some specifically with younger people. If he were to do so, one hopes it might help to move the dial. During the recent climate march on Merrion Square I heard the anger among young people. There was a sense that they were not being listened to and that, on the one hand, the Government talked about how it was into climate action, while in the next moment it stated there would have to be a liquefied natural gas facility on the River Shannon to provide for our future security. Such facilities, however, undermine the security of young people. I could list example after example, but I return to my main point that on this issue more than others, young people have a perspective and voice that deserve to be heard because it is their future. They can envisage the reality of what will unfold in their lives if we do not address it. The Government states it listens, but it does not seem to change it to make different decisions and act. If it involved young people more, perhaps we might finally sway the Ministers for Communication, Climate Action and Environment, Transport, Tourism and Sport and Agriculture, Food and the Marine. They are not moving, but they need to listen more.

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