Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a most important debate, and one which we should use to enlighten people and make sure that the important points in respect of climate change are articulated and supported in a constructive engagement with all sides of this House and the community. The most important thing we can do is to educate and inform and tolerate other points of view and bring people round to understanding what we need to do to bring about the change to save our climate, our industry and our jobs, and to have a quality of life for future generations that will be sustainable and acceptable to everybody, whether they are rural or urban residents.

One of the criticisms made of rural people concerns the question of single housing and so on. The fact is that farmers and people living in rural areas have protected and nurtured the environment they live in for generations. They hold their farming and their beliefs sacred and true, and they carry them through from generation to generation. It is hugely important that we understand, appreciate and acknowledge any of the issues the IFA and other rural spokespersons articulate to us, and bring about change with their support. In that respect, in my experience in County Louth, I have met with representatives of the IFA on a number of occasions recently regarding climate change, and farmers are very much engaged in finding alternative crops and ways of making a living, while at the same time sustaining, protecting and supporting the rural environment.

One-off rural housing is a big issue in many areas. We must ensure that those who work and are reared in the countryside can live there. It is a key issue that is arising in many county development plans, as I speak.

I return to the question of how we educate, inform and bring about change. I have been in the House for more than 20 years. The biggest change in our thinking that I can recall was in respect of how we dealt with our waste. I can recall, as I am sure Deputy Nash will, that when the then Drogheda Corporation decided to change the waste management system in our town, thousands of people marched on the streets. Indeed, I recall that the mayor of Drogheda was sitting in his chair - as the Acting Chairman is now - happily wearing an orange shirt. When the crowd broke into the meeting, the first thing they shouted at the mayor was that he was an Orangeman. That was the extent of the anger at a change in waste management, which was not properly sold. However, the pace changed with the race against waste campaign. The race against waste campaign was one of the most informative and effective campaigns we had nationally about changing our ways and the environment. It was extremely effective. Now people understand why we have to deal with our waste, Wheelie bins and so on as we do, and accept and acknowledge that. That is what we must do in respect of the other controversial issues relating to climate change. We must educate, inform and support.

One of the failures in our country - and I include myself and I did my best - has been the failure to persuade the public that we need to change the way do deal with our water resources, how water is affected by climate change, how it will change into the future as the levels of rainfall and the patterns change regionally and so on, and the problems that will bring. Currently, as far as I am aware, there is no Irish Water or Government policy in place to encourage people to use less water and to conserve it. I ask the Minister of State to address that issue with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, in terms of information and how changes can be made and ensure that the impact of climate change on our water resources is reduced, scare as they will be in the future.

I also welcome the decision of Departments to have decarbonising zones in our counties. I have a criticism of that in that there is only one such zone in each county. In County Louth, the county council, in its wisdom, chose Dundalk. I have no problem with Dundalk being chosen in this respect because it has been a centre for renewable energy and the SEAI for many years. The choice of Dundalk is welcome, but a decarbonising zone would be equally welcome in Drogheda. I ask the Minister of State to address the issue that when towns such as Drogheda are named in the national planning framework as future major urban growth centres and cities, the leadership role that comes with becoming decarbonisation zones and all the policies, incentives and changes involved should apply to towns in that special area. Drogheda is one such town, so I call on the Minister of State to seek to encourage and change the rule on decarbonisation zones and for Drogheda to be included in that. It would make a difference in terms of our climate change and public transport policies, our active travel, our public and civic buildings, our use of green spaces, biodiversity, air quality and so on. Therefore, there is a lot of work to be done, and it is our job as politicians to ensure that the Government listens to what we are saying. More attention must be focused on decarbonisation policies in our towns, and particularly the town in which I and Deputy Nash live. It is unacceptable that my town is not included in that zoning. It is appropriate that this be looked at again.

In respect of land use and planning and the way that we build and zone, there is a major issue with zoning in development plans up and down the country. I welcome the policies of the planning regulator, which has been attacked unfairly regarding its vigilance. We must ensure that when we are developing our towns and cities and the rural areas, it is sustainable, makes sense, is thought through and does not just come out of the blue as a result of pressure from a developer or God knows who to change or to add to a development plan something that is not at all acceptable. I have seen examples of that in my constituency. There have been examples of unrealistic developments being imposed on the community where hundreds of houses were built with no infrastructure, footpaths, recreational spaces, amenities or green spaces. That has to end. That is the role we all have to play.

I commend the planning regulator on the vigilance and the prudence it applies in its office to ensure that there is thought-through, effective planning in my area. I live in a large commuter town. There is nothing good about Covid, but the only good thing I can think of is the fact that people are working from home.

That is what we must do with the other controversial issues.

It should be Government policy to reverse the commute. People in Drogheda, east Meath, Dundalk, Ardee and so on should be able not just to live in those places but also to work there. Reversing people's commute by enabling them to work from home is a hugely important climate change policy. The more sustainable life is for people, the happier they are and the more time they get to spend with their families.

There are more cars going through Julianstown every day than there were before the bypass was built. It is unacceptable that people living there face long delays and are suffering because of the accumulation of traffic and the discharge from cars. We need to look at the pattern of transport in Julianstown, east Meath and Drogheda. We need an appropriate and proper inner bypass of Julianstown to relieve the pressures there and the environmental issues arising from the accumulation of toxic gas from vehicles.

There is a lot to be done in the area of climate action. This is the first time in a long time I have had ten minutes to speak in the Chamber. I welcome the return to three days of sittings next week, which is what we all want. It will better enable us to listen and understand how our country is changing and show the leadership we all have to offer in articulating our views on these issues. I welcome the Bill and the debate around it. I look forward to contributing further on Committee Stage. The world is changing and we must change with it. Our most important role is to inform and educate. I cannot overstate that point. I say emphatically to the Minister of State that we need public opinion on our side in this matter. The way we will get it is not by attacking but by informing, educating and encouraging.

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