Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very pleased to participate in the debate. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Climate Action and we have had a lot of discussion on this matter. It has been quite amicable among Members across the Houses, which is to be welcomed. This Government committed to bringing this Bill forward in a relatively short period, which is being done.

The Bill sets out the legal framework for Ireland’s transition to a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy by no later than 2050. It provides for a 2030 interim target, five-yearly carbon budgets, sectoral emissions ceilings, an annually updated climate action plan and a long-term climate action strategy. As the Minister of State will be aware, the local authority is going to take the lead on the climate action plan in our shared constituency of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. It is important that elected members of the local authority and other elected members, irrespective of level, feed into that plan because at the end of the day, while the Government can guide this plan, ultimately its implementation lies with local authorities. It is crucial that they play their part in that.

The legislation also places on a statutory basis the commitment to achieve a climate-neutral economy no later than 2050, which will be known as the national climate objective. Of course, this does not mean that Ireland will cease to produce carbon emissions by this time; it means we are committing to offsetting all the carbon we produce by 2050. A large part of this will involve reducing emissions by changing practices in sectors such as energy, housing, transport and agriculture and by sequestering carbon through methods such as rewilding parts of our country.

The Bill will ensure Ireland meets its international commitments under the Paris Agreement. Working internationally with almost 200 other countries including the US, China and India, the agreement aims to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to limit the global temperature increase in this century to 2°C, while pursuing means to limit the increase further to 1.5°C. Over the next decade we will see revolutionary change when it comes to green infrastructure and technology. We are seeing this in the UK, which is embracing green tech and leading the way. Global capital and investors are following suit by abandoning old carbon intensive sectors and earmarking funds for green tech development. We can see that here in Ireland too. Ireland cannot be left behind and the Bill will ensure our country is at the forefront of this green revolution.

These changes will be challenging. We heard from Deputies earlier about the concerns within various sectors and this will require fundamental change in many parts of Irish life. We have to accept that, though at times it will be difficult for all of us. In rising to the challenge, we will be able to improve the health, welfare and security of our country. I have raised my concerns about energy security for Ireland with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications previously and have submitted a parliamentary question on that matter. While we must rule out certain types of energy, it is imperative that satisfy ourselves that we have energy security for the next decade and beyond. It is not just for our generation but for the next generation and those beyond them that the Bill must deliver the changes we want it to.

Once the legislation passes, we will then prepare for the climate action plans, which will set out the actions that must be taken to ensure we deliver on our commitments to reduce total carbon emissions by 51% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This will make Ireland a world leader in responding to climate change and improve our country and our living environment immensely. The next step is to prepare the new climate action plan, which will set out the actions that must be taken to ensure we deliver on the commitments in the programme for Government, including making sure we achieve our 2030 targets and neutrality by 2050. This would make Ireland the world leader to which I referred.

The legislation underwent significant and intense scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Climate Action. I was proud to be a part of that committee and I pay tribute to our Chair, Deputy Brian Leddin, for his steering of the committee and for improving the draft text as the committee worked over the past number of months to do so. I welcome the fact that the Minister has included the majority of the 78 recommendations proposed by the committee, which will significantly strengthen the Bill. Language has been amended to ensure obligations are clearly stated, and the relationship between the various mechanisms is also more explicit. In line with the programme for Government commitment, the Bill stipulates that carbon budgets should provide for a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Key principles such as just transition, climate justice and protection and restoration of biodiversity are matters to which the Minister and Government will have regard when preparing the various action plans. Importantly, public participation provisions have been strengthened, with the Bill providing that for each of the relevant plans, strategies, and carbon budgets the Minister will consult with the public so they can have their say. A public consultation is currently under way, which closes on 18 May. It is very important that at this time, before this Bill is enacted, the public have their say in how those action plans are shaped and what is contained in them.

As I mentioned, the next phase will be to develop a climate action plan. In housing, we must move quickly to retrofit homes. A commitment has been made to retrofit 400,000 homes. The Minister of State knows that the local authority in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown also made a commitment and made great strides in improving local authority housing stock, and retrofitted quite a number of them. There is more to be done in just transition and retrofitting. There are private homeowners who cannot afford to retrofit and that is why it is key that we bring them along with us and that homes are made warmer and more secure. Retrofitting is an important part of that. It will save energy, reduce energy bills and make homes more comfortable for the owners and inhabitants.

Pilot schemes such as those provided by EnergyCloud provide innovative technological solutions to reducing the instance of fuel poverty and ensure we use wind energy to its full potential. I raised this at the committee last week. We must also ensure that all new housing stock is fit for purpose and we need regulations to ensure the reuse of grey water to reduce pressure on our national water network and conserve our precious drinking water.

On transport, we need to invest in our public transport network. Major infrastructural projects such as the DART underground and the upgrading of the Luas green line are critical. Equally, we need investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, where there must be a renewed focus by local authorities to complete projects such as the Sutton to Sandycove cycle track and ensure that it is a coastal route. That route has been planned for approximately 30 years and I fear we are moving away from the original coastal plan and proposing an on-road solution. It is imperative that the majority of that route be coastal. The funding is in place now and we have to ensure, collectively as a Government with the Deputies of this House, that this is achieved, as well as the Lee to Sea coastal routes.

The shift to electric cars must be supported with practical measures, such as more on-street charging points. The Minister of State will be aware our development plan specifies that all new developments would have charging points. It is important that is replicated throughout the country in the current drafting of other local development plans.

On land, we must ensure we continue to develop our forestry programme and I welcome the Government's commitments to plant native forestry and to enhance and support biodiversity. It is the energy sector in which Ireland has the most potential to make significant progress. We are well placed to become a world leader in offshore energy generation. This must be supported by an upgrade to the national grid and the completion of the international interconnectors. This is again something I raised with the Minister before, and it is important we stay on course with it.

While these changes will be challenging, I have no doubt they will improve our environment. Ten years from now, it is to be hoped we will be living in a healthier and cleaner Ireland as well as in cleaner cities. Biodiversity will have been improved and we will be on track to meet our international commitments and, more importantly, our moral commitments to the next generation of Irish and global citizens. I support the Bill on that basis. It is important that we, collectively here in the House, and notwithstanding further amendments, ultimately see unanimous support for such a measure.

I spoke earlier about retrofitting 500,000 homes and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next ten years. Ambitions like that are crucial, not just in respect of retrofitting but across the board. When people see the tangible benefits of this ambitious and brave programme, I think and I hope they will buy into it. Ultimately, however, they will be the beneficiaries of it. This crisis is happening now and we cannot afford not to do this. To those who deny there is any need for climate action, I say we should all strive to reduce our carbon emissions, irrespective of our views. This plan will meet with that ambition. The targets are ambitious, but if we start now and the sooner this Bill is passed, the better we will be. I commend the Bill. I thank the Minister of State for his time and I ask him to relay some of the comments I made to the Minister because I am waiting to hear a response.

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