Dáil debates

Wednesday, 10 June 2020

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed)

 

10:45 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is good to have an opportunity to contribute on this subject as well. I recall seven or eight years ago at a public meeting, confiding in the public that within ten years we would be looking seriously at electric cars for the future. I was greeted with howls of derision, as well as scepticism of an incisive order and I am glad that we have at least progressed in that area. While the targets are, I agree, ambitious, they are attainable. All that is needed is a commitment and that has been made. It will be realised and it will make a tangible, visible contribution to emissions reduction, to which everyone can make a contribution. The public wants to be able to contribute in making that reduction themselves, and I think they will do it.

The secret, as I stated during this morning's debate, is of where the electricity comes from and how it is generated. As we move toward renewable energies. that is going to become obvious. It is not going to be as easy to depend on mid-Atlantic generated wind energy because the structures are not there at the present time, and they certainly will not be within the next five year, to deliver on that particular project. It would be a serious error on our part if we were to presume that in five years, we could rely on electricity coming from there. The Arklow Bank is different.

I am of the generation that started out walking to school and walking longer distances as well. It was not such great fun at all, especially in inclement weather. I have my doubts about how popular it is likely to become in the future either. In addition, there are dangers to children walking to school in winter or summer, which I do not propose to got into now, that we have to bear them in mind. There will be a need for transport, of one kind or another. As we develop the technology, regarding the motor industry in particular, the biggest contribution we can make in respect of domestic travel is the electric car. That is on our doorstep and we should avail of it and support it.

The electrification of the rail system is something we all look forward to. Naturally, in my own constituency there is the Maynooth line, which extends to Kilcock and beyond and electrification will be hugely important. That is again dependent on emissions-free electricity. It has a major role to play that everybody can contribute to and can point out themselves. They do not have to be told about it. I know the Minister is committed to the electrification of that system. Deputy Ó Broin mentioned the Hazelhatch-Sallins route. That could extend as far as Newbridge.

It is a matter of thinking big and covering the territory.

The next area of transport to progress, and it has been mentioned by several speakers in the House, is that of air transport. It is going to be a challenge, there is no doubt about that, but there is going to be another challenge. State aid could well become an issue as the Covid-19 crisis bites, and the people and the Governments with the deepest pockets, all over Europe and all over the world, for that matter, are the ones from whom we have most to fear. The entire concept of the European Union that has developed over the years has been the extent to which state aid was reduced and dependency created, not on state aid, but on the community spirit of the European Union and the means of doing the same job by a different method. That is still something we need to be careful of. We have some good airlines in this country, some of which started of as a public ones. They still have a major role to play, and are important in terms of our tourism. It is worth remembering we are on an island, and there are only two ways we can get off it. We cannot walk, run or cycle off it, so we have to get off it by air or by boat.

My final point is on the greenways. Both the Minister and his predecessors have done reasonably well in this regard in my constituency. I would like to think I had some influence in that, however, we will leave that to those who are better placed to judge. There is still more to come. It has been a worthwhile development that has been hugely popular and is well supported by the local population.

From here, the challenges are many, but there is a great sign of hope. We used to be told with regard to alternative energy that it is not feasible and it cannot be done; one cannot drive cars that have batteries, and so forth. Of course one can, and with every day that passes the technology advances further still, to such an extent that it is bringing it within the reach of the domestic driver. That is going to be the single biggest contribution we can make in terms of satisfaction, as far as the driver is concerned, and beating the emissions.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.