Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Some 45 minutes to end the legislative process on this Bill is unfortunate, but we are where we are. I welcome Deputy Bríd Smith's amendment in terms of climate justice. There is unfinished work on the definition of climate justice and just transition in this Bill. This debate, as short as it was, again highlighted the lack of reality in this country, in that it is not just one sector which will be impacted and have to change. It is every sector, individual, group and every part of this country. We will have to change how we live and work over the next number of years, if we are to meet our targets. It will change the entire country. That is what we need to do and it what the world needs to do. This Bill is the start. It is a delayed start, but it is a start nonetheless. We have much more work to do.

The horticulture industry had a demonstration yesterday and the Minister was criticised for not attending, but my understanding is the Minister of State attended and looked the individuals in that industry in the eye and said they needed to be supported to transition beyond peat-based compost. That is an honest thing to say to a group who will have to make that transition, but it is a transition we will all have to make. It will be difficult and complex, but if we have a just transition at the heart of everything we do and if we had stronger definitions of same in this Bill, people would be more comforted. That said, this is a Bill to which we will add and to which I hope the State will add to with strong carbon budgets and a climate action plan, in order that we can continue to recapture the ground lost over the past number of years.

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