Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Whitmore spoke first on the circular economy and the end-of-waste approval process. I will engage with the Minister in that regard. We met recently with the environmental and social pillar. We are broadening and expanding social dialogue. In that context, we met with the environmental and social pillar. We heard a good presentation on the circular economy from the NGO group. I will engage with the Minister on making sure that we can progress more speedily the end-of-waste approval process.

On Deputy Farrell's point regarding a clear roadmap ahead, the Government's economic recovery plan has been very clear in its emphasis and focus on public transport, a national retrofitting programme, biodiversity investment, particularly the all-Ireland pollinator plan, and across the board development of greenways. There has been a dramatic increase in investment under this Government. We will transform this country in terms of active travel. There is no doubt about it. Some of the funding for that will come from the carbon tax fund, which will help us to protect against fuel poverty, facilitate environmental farming schemes and to deliver to the national retrofitting programme. The programme will help many people in respect of fuel poverty and in reducing dramatically their heating emissions. It will take time but the carbon tax is an important part of that. I know the Deputy's party opposes that, but I would ask that it be reflected upon. People have aspirations for climate change, but ring-fenced funding is needed to enable step change in investments and retrofitting, public transport, active travel and the biodiversity agenda.

Deputy O'Sullivan rightly said that the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 will probably be the most significant legislation passed by this Oireachtas, and in the fullness of time, will be seen as such. It will entail challenges in implementation, but it represents a fundamental and profound step change in legislation.

I agree with the Deputy on the retrofitting agenda. Part of the recovery plan is not just the allocation of funding through the carbon tax fund to retrofitting, but also the allocation of additional funding for reskilling and upskilling and providing additional places so that the skills are there to step up retrofitting activity. Where a house is retrofitted, it provides enormous savings to the householder. The issue of working from home and the technology and broadband provision is essential to facilitating that. That will also have a very significant impact on our climate change agenda and targets.

I do not disagree with what Deputy Boyd Barrett said regarding Dublin Bay. I will engage with the Minister on the Ringsend treatment plant and the ultraviolet treatment system. The Deputy said that it is only used for three months of the year. I take his point and I will come back to him on that. It is an important point. Many people swim all year round.

On Deputy Murphy's point regarding Amazon, I have not seen the programme to which he referred. Amazon is building a fulfilment centre in Ireland in Dublin, which will create a significant number of jobs for many people. That cannot be ignored either in the context of that investment in Dublin by Amazon. Surely, it is in Amazon's interest, as it is in everybody' interest, to reduce waste and damage to products. I have not seen the programme so I cannot comment accurately in on the points the Deputy made, other than to say that economies evolve and develop. Amazon has grown and expanded. The fulfilment centre in Dublin will create additional jobs for people in our city.

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