Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, which is the principal Act, placed national climate policy on a statutory footing for the first time in Ireland. This was a significant step. One of the main criticisms of it was a lack of specific emissions targets. The draft amendment Bill of 2020 was a step forward in this regard in that it tried to set out a legal framework by which Ireland's 2050 climate emissions targets were to be reached. However, as my colleague, Senator Boylan, pointed out, it was full of loopholes. The amendment Bill of 2021 is more ambitious than its draft predecessor and I welcome this. It provides for many of the recommendations made by the committee, which is also welcome. It provides for 2030 interim targets with five-year carbon budgets, sectoral emissions ceilings, an annually updated climate action plan and a long-term climate action strategy.

This places Ireland on a surer footing when it comes to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 and will allow us to play our part in this transition. This will require a fundamental transformation of the Irish and European economies, with sectors such as transport, buildings and energy production all having key roles to play. We must recognise this as a bold, ambitious and exciting opportunity for us to create new jobs, new industries and new ways of life.

As the Covid crisis recedes, we should see the tackling of this climate crisis as a route back to a more sustainable planet with an economy based on inclusive growth and shared prosperity. It was very concerning that a just transition was not mentioned once in the first draft of the Bill. It was even more disappointing that the inclusion of references to a just transition have been so weak in this redraft. Phrases such as "best endeavours" and "in so far as is practicable" are not a just transition and will do nothing to bring communities along the road to decarbonisation. The Bill fails to grasp the opportunity provided to reimagine and recreate the society in which we live.

As we come out of the pandemic we will face a new challenge of unemployment, specifically long-term unemployment.

Many have now been out of work for a year. That is, of course, considered as long-term unemployment. We have already heard from the Government that it is considering removing aid to those businesses which it no longer deems to be viable meaning that a cohort of people will not be able to go back to work. We are told, of course, that new digital jobs will be created but the reality is that this, too, leaves behind a specific age group who do not have those digital skills. We need to realise not everyone will learn how to code. We have an opportunity here to tackle this pending unemployment crisis and the climate crisis through the creation of green jobs and we should not let this opportunity slide.

There is also an important omission that had been included in the programme for Government around the 7% per annum reductions. While I recognise this Bill sets a 51% reduction over the decade in law, it does not provide for the 7% annual reduction figures, which leading climate experts have said is a serious flaw.

Ireland has been a laggard on climate action and has continually kicked the can down the road and missed its targets. We need to ensure the Government starts immediately to reduce emissions and does not leave the heavy lifting to the next Government, which will bring us up to our 2030 target.

There is also a question raised relating to the accountability of those who fail to comply with the provisions of the Bill. We saw in The Irish Timesthat the Bill does not provide for penalties if targets are not met but it is understood that where actions fall short in particular sectors, Ministers with responsibilities in these areas may in future face budget reductions. A clear line of accountability is lacking here. Too often in the past, when targets have not been reached, there has been a shrug of the shoulders and an acceptance of fines.

I am also concerned by the recent High Court ruling interpretation of the 2015 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act which found that the Government is not a relevant body. That is ridiculous. My party has written to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and asked him to amend this before it comes to the Dáil to close this loophole.

The 2015 principal Act first established the bone structure of our national climate Bill by placing it on a statutory footing, and the current amendment Bill acts as a connective tissue which ties our climate policy to specific targets. However, my lingering concern is we are awaiting the muscle fibres needed to drive performance so as to reach these targets, and it is seems like that job, in addition to others, may fall to a future Government.

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