Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his response and welcome the fact that the midlands will be prioritised. However, I must outline my concerns with the whole just transition process again.

It is not coming together quickly enough and I do not think there is a sense of urgency. The midlands were only recovering from the last recession and then we were hit with this. It is going to have a detrimental effect and I believe we need to be focused on creating a huge number of jobs and not just a handful here and there. When I raised this issue with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, he told me Bord na Móna needed to look at how to diversify to create jobs but it is not Bord na Móna's role to create jobs. It is the Government's role to drive this. IDA Ireland needs to take a more proactive role in helping us in the midlands to ensure job creation takes place quickly.

The just transition process is happening in the larger context of our ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Only last year, a former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer stated the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 will cost the UK more than £1 trillion. He said that such a cost meant less money would be available for schools, police, hospitals and other areas of public spending. He also warned that the target would render some industries economically uncompetitive without huge Government subsidies. Has any such impact analysis been carried out here? My fear is we are rushing towards environmental objectives where the costs in terms of jobs are being ignored or dismissed.

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