Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Earlier this year, the climate action Bill set out Ireland's ambition to be a world leader on climate action. I know a lot of what is contained in the Bill will be used to drive delivery of climate action and will be included in the climate action plan, and I look forward to reading it when it is published. My expectation is that the upcoming action plan will be every bit as ambitious as the climate action Bill and I welcome the spirit of that ambition. I hope the Government will deliver fully for current and future generations from whom this is so important. It has been said time and again, but we really are running out of time. Immediate action on climate change is needed, and it is needed urgently.

We know sustainable transport is a huge issue that needs to be addressed to deliver on climate action. No country can survive without reliable transport systems, and no climate action plan would be complete without a plan to deliver on sustainable transport. I was delighted to see Ireland's newest railway station, Pelletstown, open in Dublin last week. Developments like this will go a long way towards helping us to achieve climate goals. However, I must say I am very frustrated that one of my local stations remains closed. I have been contacted by so many disappointed constituents who eagerly await the opening of Kishoge rail station in Lucan. Kishoge was built before Pelletstown and we are still waiting to see it opened. We should not be waiting until more homes are built to open it because it is already within a ten-minute walk or cycle for a significant number of south Lucan residents. The sooner it is opened, the better - better for Lucan and, indeed, better for climate action. MetroLink will be another massive transport infrastructure boost towards achieving our climate goals. The sooner the Government can deliver on this commitment, the better.

The Taoiseach told the United Nations General Assembly that "the climate crisis threatens our very existence" on the planet. One of the factors that was no doubt discussed was the massive amount of waste we throw away and send to landfill every year, both globally and nationally. Our waste management ought to be a priority of the climate action plan. According to the EPA, people in Ireland produce more than 13 million tonnes of waste every year, in our homes, places of work and places of leisure. I watched a very good video on Instagram yesterday published by Roz Purcell. People might be familiar with her as a social media influencer who talks about many different topics, including sustainability and fast fashion. The video was a refresher for me on what can and cannot go into recycling bins. The good news is, as we all know now, that there is very little that cannot go into your recycling bin now. Earlier this month, we learned that soft plastic can now go into your recycling bin, and it is easier than ever for people to recycle their household waste. However, it is something we as a Government should be doing more to publicise.

Ireland's record on recycling is improving but we have a way to go to. We are making good progress in tackling our over-reliance on plastic, but there is no doubt this was impacted by Covid-19 and our return to single-use plastics during the pandemic. As we emerge, we must tackle this issue again. Businesses need to be pumping less plastic into the market. We need to look at how we package and transport goods and products, and there needs to be a renewed emphasis on reusable and recyclable materials.

The Government must emphasise the importance of playing a part in the circular economy, and I am glad to see Fine Gael had an event on this only last week. Being green or sustainable is very much in fashion now, but it is also very important. It is very important that our ambitions and the ambitions of big companies and big corporations are not just performative. There cannot be room for greenwashing in our climate action plan. I can list countless examples of brands giving misleading impressions that their garments or products are made from sustainable materials when their production methods are far from that. According to the 2020 Government waste action plan, Ireland dumps 63,000 tonnes of textiles every single year. It is a very significant problem and is evidence of the very damaging relationship we have with fast fashion in Ireland and our throwaway culture that leads to more waste. Fast fashion is an issue I would like to see our climate action plan addressing. It is just one of many issues that need tackling, but we must move to reduce the negative impact the fashion industry has on our environment, whether that involves investing in research and development around sustainable fabrics, increasing the availability of textile recycling facilities, or supporting and promoting the second-hand thrifting and vintage movement. We must make it easier for people to make environmentally friendly decisions when buying things to wear and keep products and materials within the circular economy for as long as possible.

We are no longer living through a time of climate change; we are living through a climate emergency. We owe it to our younger generations, who have been so vocal about their feelings on this issue, to follow through with our commitments. Before the pandemic I was so proud to see Irish people taking to the streets and using their voice and collective power to call for action on climate change. Last week, we saw them once again gathering outside Leinster House. We cannot and must not let them down.

I would like to take a moment to respond to some of what was said in earlier contributions. Living in an asylum was one phrase used. To be honest, people must be living in an asylum themselves if they think climate action is not real. Opposition Members said today that those of us who support action on climate change are not living in the real world. I hate to burst their sound bite, but the real world is a world where glaciers are melting, temperatures are rising, and floods, storms and weather events are causing destruction and loss of life. That terror is the truth and not a lie. Climate change is the truth and not a lie. We cannot continue down this road. We need to play our part and act. We owe it to the next generation to leave our country in a state that is fit for their purpose.

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