Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I know Covid-19 made it difficult, however. On the other hand, I am full of praise for what is happening with the cycling infrastructure in Dublin city and across the country. That has shown an ability to respond in the face of an emergency. There are too many pressures to put off and we need to respond quickly.

I will comment on the circular economy for which the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, is responsible. This is a positive way to approach it. It is about removing environmental damage throughout the entire supply chain. It embraces producers as well as consumers. It means we seek to deliver a service without doing the damaged.

Shared vehicles, for example, which we are now beginning to see, is a major solution. We would not need underground car parks in our new higher-density buildings if we were sharing more vehicles. Design thinking is what is needed. The Bill the Minister of State has published is not ambitious enough. Relying on the EPA to implement a plan is not sufficient. At the core of the climate Bill should be a whole-of-government strategy.

I will make two other comments in respect of the climate action plan. The climate plan must be a framework, not a straitjacket. While Ireland is right be ambitious and determined, we are part of a European Union and it sets the wider obligations. It designs trading systems-----

See this speech in context