Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There continues to be a lack of public transport and cycle lanes in my constituency of Cork North-Central. There is a worryingly unfair distribution of public transport, cycle lanes and greenways between the south side and the north side. We need a commitment from the Minister to support Cork City Council in ensuring fairness and in ensuring that public transport, greenways and cycle lanes are provided for the people of Cork North-Central. They need alternatives to petrol and diesel cars and this cannot happen without further investment. The proposed light rail service for Cork city includes no north side-south side link. How can we look for people to get out of their cars if we do not provide the infrastructure for them? The recent announcement of 66 sustainable transport projects in Cork again shows inequality in that 31 of these projects are on the south side and only 12 are on the north side. Some €15.77 million is to be spent on the south side while only €5.8 million is to be spent on the north side. How is this equality? This shows the disparity that exists. If we want to provide truly sustainable and environmentally friendly transport for people, the system must be integrated.

There have been deep retrofits in Allen Square and Brother Rice Avenue and surrounding areas in my constituency over the past 12 months. These works were finished last week. People have said that their heating costs have been halved and that their houses are warmer. It has made a great difference. There is no more dampness or cold in the houses. However, they had to fight for years to get this done. They had to campaign. Areas from Mary Aikenhead Place across Cork city are crying out for such retrofitting. I listened to Fine Gael Deputies talking about a just transition. Where is the just transition for those people who live in houses that are freezing cold and damp and which have draughts and mould in the walls and who have been waiting years for retrofitting? It needs to be done now.

There is a great deal I want to say on this matter but I have limited time. In a recent finding, the European Court of Human Rights said that Ireland is in breach of Article 16 of the European directive on local authority housing and that local authority tenants are living in substandard accommodation. In addition, the Economic and Social Research Institute says that there is a clear link between fuel poverty and poor health.

Climate justice cannot happen without social justice. That is why we are saying that this Bill does not go far enough. We want to support a Bill on climate action but we do not support taxing poor people who cannot afford to pay.

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