Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Doherty is well able to dole it out. He has to take the argument back. If he wants a debate, let us have a debate about this. When the next young boy or girl comes up to Sinn Féin in rural Ireland and asks what it is doing to respond to climate change, how will Sinn Féin answer with credibility? Given the increase in carbon emissions that are causing such harm to our environment, Sinn Féin is saying that it will not put in place the measure that scientists are looking for. What are we doing with the revenue that is coming from carbon taxes? We are doing exactly what the ESRI and other experts want us to do. We are using the money from carbon taxes and investing it back into those things that can make a difference, to protecting the vulnerable, investing in our future, and doing the things now that can make a difference to reduce carbon emissions and help people to cope with the kind of change that we know is needed.

What is the message that we can take from this debate? We already know that Sinn Féin cannot be trusted in running and looking after our economy. We know that it cannot be trusted to protect our place in Europe. We know that Sinn Féin will say that it supports foreign direct investment and international investment, and then do all that it can to tax it more and more. The message that arises from this debate is as disingenuous as the worst climate change denier that will be found making a case about the change happening to our climate. The case that Sinn Féin is making is as disingenuous as those who would deny the existence of climate change.

It is saying that it does not support higher taxes on the use of carbon which is causing the change. This sort of argument I would have hoped or expected from a party of the left. What I am doing as a representative of a Government and of a party of the centre is to say that we need to tackle climate change and to respond to a crisis with a measure that is difficult for many but has to form a central part of that response. That is why there is only one way to vote on this amendment and on the measures that are contained in this budget on carbon tax, if one supports doing the right thing by generations to come.

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