Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Nothing will turn people off the climate action agenda that we need to urgently undertake more than big corporations, wealthy individuals and political elites lecturing ordinary people about their personal culpability for the climate crisis. I warn the Government that if it does not break from that reliance, it will turn people away from the climate agenda. It will alienate people. There is evidence that that is happening around the world. On the other hand, young people understand that system change is needed. It is not a matter of individual culpability or responsibility. The system needs to be changed. At the centre of what young people talk about, when they get out on the streets, is just transition. It is not just a phrase. They actually mean it. It will make the lives of ordinary people better. It is not the coded language of Deputy Bruton, who says that people need to realise that things will be tough and difficult. That goes back to responsibility. He went on to say why we need all the support for the corporate sector and that it will make the changes. He needs to make up his mind. If that road is taken, it will alienate people and all the targets in the world will mean nothing.

After looking at the targets and then our records on forestry, it makes me laugh. Ten years ago, when I came into this Dáil, there was a target of 12,000 ha of new forest every year. It was never met. There was 4,000 ha or 5,000 ha of afforestation at best in that period. We have the lowest level of forest cover of anywhere in Europe. Instead of trying to meet the targets, we revised them downwards. The targets in the climate action plan are half of what they were ten years ago when I came into the Dáil. There is climate ambition for you. Meanwhile, the State forestry company is trying to sell forests. Local communities had to fight to stop forests from being sold in my area. It also happened in Cork recently. One can look at the list of Coillte's sales or at previous attempts to sell harvesting rights. That happens because the mandate of the State forestry company is about commercial activity and making money, but it is not about protecting and expanding the forest estate. It should not have an industrial model but instead one that is about protecting the environment and guaranteeing a decent living for farmers and people who are protecting the environment through biodiversity and afforestation measures. That is just one example of many.

We need to invest in public transport. It is amazing that it has not been debated since the budget. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, heads the Department of Transport, which is the only Department which had a budget cut in budget 2022. I could give many more examples. Unless there is an investment into just transition and the State taking the lead on system change, these targets are worse than useless.

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