Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The plan also recognises that gas will be, in all likelihood, a transition fuel for the foreseeable future. As we make that transition, however, we have to ensure we also have energy security. That is something completely ignored by Deputy Boyd Barrett over and over again.

What we have is a robust and tested plan. All of the independent commentary on our climate action plan has, by and large, been positive if we can deliver on it and are getting on and implementing it. If the Deputy wants to talk about hypocrisy, anybody who opposes sending a clear signal on the cost in the next ten years is the one who is being the hypocrite in this argument. There is nobody credible of whom I am aware who is suggesting it is not good to indicate to people that each year for the next ten years the cost of using carbon will increase. We are, therefore, encouraging them through grant aid and other supports and incentives to move away from using it as a fuel. Instead, the Deputy has tried to politicise the issue in the way he does with everything, rather than taking a responsible approach and working with us to ensure we will have a just transition in moving away from the use of carbon in homes and business by families and others. The Deputy is trying to weaponise it in the way he does with everything else. That is hypocrisy.

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