Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We must recover from the pandemic in a way that increases the resilience of our country. I am proud of the role my party has played in government to achieve this. Over half of the €1 billion investment announced yesterday will be spent on climate projects, exceeding the EU's target of 37%.

Responsible governance seeks to leave things better for future generations. We should invest in a way that tackles climate change, protects our natural environment, encourages regional development and makes life better for people, and we are doing just that. The announcement of the Cork suburban rail project, with new stations and extra capacity, is the first step in bringing a DART-style suburban rail system, which will ultimately be more extensive than Dublin's, to our second city. It will enable the building of 30,000 homes, connected to a high-quality suburban rail service, which means that many families will not be dependent on a car for a good quality of life. This project is a key enabler to deliver housing, to deliver growth outside Dublin, and to develop our economy and society in a way that provides a better quality of life and does not harm the environment.

As well as regional suburban rail, we are delivering cheap financing for home retrofitting and we are upgrading waste water treatment plants in selected river basins that will enable delivery of more housing in towns and villages and improved water quality in sensitive areas.

We are supporting our SMEs to build back greener, with targeted supports. We are investing in green education and research because, as we transform from a laggard to a leader on climate action, we are going to create a significant number of new jobs, particularly in our regions. As Deputy Cannon mentioned, we are funding a universal basic income pilot for artists to support an important sector and to take the first step in reimagining a welfare system that rewards work and provides security for our citizens. I commend the Ministers, Deputies Heather Humphreys and Catherine Martin, on that initiative.

These are only the first steps. We have much more to do but I believe in the capacity of Government to invest responsibility in a way that promotes balanced regional development and leaves things better for future generations.

See this speech in context