Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Fitzmaurice said earlier, we have sat beside each other over the years and we have got into the habit of engaging in such banter. I apologise to the Acting Chair because I am encouraging it but it is good banter. This is the engagement we will need to make sure we do get to every house. Every place matters and every person matters in this. There will be no looking down, pointing fingers or holier than thou. This transition is critical and the way it will work is what I have heard here today from every Deputy, that their constituents want to do it. We have to help them do it and ask for their help rather than telling them what to do. The engagement will continue. When I finish my speech we will engage in other fora.

In the next decade in transport we will have to go from 12 million tonnes of emissions to 6 million tonnes. This is an incredible challenge because transport changes slowly. The cars we have today will still be on the road in 2030. The buses and trains will only be at the start of their lives even if we buy them today. It will take time. The pattern we have allowed to develop in our country, which is for ever longer journeys, will take time to change but change we have to and it will be better. First and foremost, vehicles will use electricity rather than fossil fuels. Everyone in the car business knows it is a certainty we will make the change because they are better cars with a fraction of the fuel costs, a fraction of the maintenance costs, a better driving experience, much simpler, cleaner and quicker-----

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