Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a privilege to contribute briefly on this generation-defining legislation. I pay particular credit not just to the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, who is present, but also to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and his predecessor, the former Minister, Deputy Bruton, who spoke so eloquently in the Chamber in the past hour about the truly magnificent opportunities this legislation provides not just for the entire country, but for the world and Europe at large. The legislation makes clear that when dealing with the climate emergency, there is no single solution. It takes an all-encompassing approach that factors into every arm of government.

I wish to continue on the issue on which Deputy Haughey finished, that is, the importance of buy-in. We need to get buy-in to this legislation, and not just political buy-in. I welcome the fact that the majority of those who have contributed to this debate have been in favour generally of the Bill, although one or two Members would like it to go further, while certain others do not wish to even have a debate on it. We absolutely need to lead by example as public representatives to ensure that we get buy-in not just to the Bill, but to what it is trying to achieve. That means buy-in from industry, individuals, society at large, the agricultural sector and so much more.

Crucial to getting that buy-in is trying to achieve the rewards the legislation provides. This should not all be about the stick. There is plenty of carrot in the legislation for everyone in society who seeks to seize the opportunity. The altruistic reasons for backing the legislation are that is vitally important to the sustainability and future of the planet, but the selfish reasons for backing it are that there are many new opportunities and industries provided within the schemes it contains. Deputy Bruton referred to opportunities when it comes to carbon farming and so much else.

I refer to local opportunities in particular. When the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, looks southwards from his home, he looks up towards my constituency and sees the beautiful Dublin mountains. We should appreciate the foresight of Arthur Griffith, one of the founders of the State, in pursuing one of the first afforestation programmes in the State in the Dublin Mountains, at sites such as Ticknock, Tibradden and all the places I love to spend the weekends with my kids but which also, crucially, provide absolutely vital opportunities for the city. I remember attending the opening of a wooded walkway and trail, which now also includes a mountain biking trail, with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, when he was a member of a previous Government. He referred to the Dublin Mountains as being the lungs of the capital. Through a widespread, sensible and proper afforestation process we will ensure the lungs of the entire country are maintained and have the opportunity to play their part in this process.

An area to which reference has been made in so many speeches in this House not just in the context of the climate emergency but also when we are discussing housing, the economy or the impact Covid-19 is having on society is the opportunity offered by remote working. It provides the opportunity to ensure people can work close to where they are from, thus taking pressure off congested roads and urban areas and providing a much better balance of life for those who avail of it. It may involve working at home or in remote working hubs. A colleague recently told me that a remote hub with 20 desks is opening in a small rural town in his constituency. That is 40 or 50 jobs. If a company announced a 50-job development in that townland, it would be front-page news for the local paper. That is how we have to look at remote working. We should ensure we harness every aspect of government to play its part in tackling the climate emergency.

One thing that is critical is using the Bill as a marker to embrace an imaginative solution to public transport needs across the country, but particularly in the capital city. That is of particular importance for those of us who represent suburban constituencies that have a significant commuter base, with people travelling to the city centre for work. Significant work has been done by central government and local authorities in this regard - Deputy Haughey referred to it in terms of the provision of cycle lanes and greenways - but it is also necessary to examine the model for public transport and ensure we have clean public transport. I welcome the pilot scheme by Dublin Bus which involves electric buses but we have to be imaginative and look at the potential to also utilise hydrogen buses.

All Members acknowledge that the issue that frames the debate on this legislation will not be solved by one Bill, public representative, Government or country. The international dynamic of tackling the climate emergency should not be lost on any of us. We are a small country, an island in the Atlantic with a relatively small population and a relatively small industrial sector, but we can lead on this issue within the European Union and the global community. We have to take on the chin the criticisms of global agencies, NGOs and lobby groups that we have not done so previously. We must acknowledge that we have been laggards in this area. However, what has been done in the past couple of years and what is contained in the Bill show the potential that exists for Ireland to move from the back of the class right up to the front of the class. It will take sacrifice, commitment, imagination and ground-breaking legislation such as the Bill in order for us to achieve those goals and opportunities.

Deputy Haughey referred to the impact of the United States Government thankfully coming back into the Paris climate accord. That is so important. There is a need to ensure that, within the European Union, policies within the new green deal are reflected not just in our domestic legislation but in every conversation and every function of the Council of the European Union and elsewhere at EU level. It does not matter whether it is a council dealing with agriculture, fisheries, health, economy or justice; everything has to come back to the biggest challenge facing this generation, namely, tackling the climate emergency. The pandemic will come and go. It has had a lasting effect and been disastrous for many families, households and businesses across the world, and particularly in this country. However, the challenge of the climate emergency will not be resolved by a vaccination.

It has to be approached in a coherent manner. That is why it is important, when we consider our scope for partnerships and our energy security, that we ensure Brexit does not have a massive detrimental impact on our energy supply. We rely on the UK for many of our imports but we should look at embracing the Celtic interconnector that will result in energy from continental Europe, specifically France, landing into Cork. That shows the major potential for Ireland and France to work proactively and progressively together within the EU.

Ireland and France have a strong relationship when it comes to dealing with the Common Agricultural Policy and the future of our agrifood sector. We need to take that initiative and those decades of co-operation between the French and Irish Governments and throw that into energy supply and energy security to ensure, as we develop our domestic energy capacities through wind, wave, solar and everything else, that when we need to import, we import clean energy from continental, reliable sources. That provides a significant opportunity for international co-operation. It gets to the heart of this legislation and of why it is important for us, as a small, open liberal democracy in the EU to be shown to lead.

We have a proud history in this State of overseas development aid work, going back to the time of the missions. We know climate change impacts the poorest in the world more than anyone else. Anyone who has travelled around central Africa can see it in the desertification process and the droughts and we see it in the wildfires in other parts of the world. This is focused on those who are most exposed and that is why it falls on us, as a developed country and a country that has had many privileges laid upon us by geography, economy and so much else, to seize that responsibility and show leadership to the people in our own country and the wider world.

There are many aspects to this legislation on which I hope to contribute when we get to Committee and Report Stages. At this general stage, I wholeheartedly commend this legislation to the House. It was a privilege to spend a couple of hours subbing into the committee that did so much work in recent months to bring this to this Stage. I thank the Minister for his time and indulgence and I am grateful for the opportunity to speak.

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