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

The Tánaiste did not answer my question. The just transition plan is falling apart. There is a meeting this week in the county council in Offaly with the just transition commissioner. It is falling apart and it is not delivering for communities. The Tánaiste is reneging on his Government's duty to ensure communities are not left behind. Instead, this Government is pursuing and prioritising vague, aspirational biodiversity priorities in place of those that are important, such as employment. We have a situation where people with mortgages and children to feed, clothe and educate are playing second fiddle to those aspirational biodiversity priorities that the Tánaiste and the Government have put first with little or no understanding of the midlands and counties like Offaly.

I ask the Tánaiste to re-evaluate this plan because it is not working, there is no confidence in it and it is not creating employment. People cannot remain unemployed while Government achieves its climate change targets. There is a better way of doing things and I believe climate change targets should not act as a veto on common sense, which is what is happening. There is a practical, fair and just way of doing things but the just transition plan is not working.

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