Dáil debates

Wednesday, 6 April 2022

6:40 pm

Photo of Mark WardMark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Several people contacted me about increases in carbon tax on foot of this debate. These carbon budgets are not to be confused with the upcoming increases in carbon tax proposed by Government. Sinn Féin will oppose the increase carbon tax. It is out of touch with the increase in the cost of living, as was said by the Minister's colleague just before me, that ordinary workers and families must endure.

The Government is still doing many things that increase emissions rather than reduce them. Data centres are still being added to the grid. There was a bad policy by the previous Government that wanted to make Ireland the data capital of the world. This plan gave no consideration to the impact that this would have on carbon emissions. The current Government is standing by idly as the volume of electricity that data centres use could reach 30% of all electricity used in the State by 2030. This Government is great at making targets, but it does not actually achieve many. While we support the targets laid out in this document, I am not optimistic that the Government will achieve them.

Sinn Féin will continue to hold the Government to account and we will criticise, but we will also bring forward alternative solutions to help us achieve these targets in a fair and just way. For example, my colleague, Deputy Darren O'Rourke, introduced the Green Hydrogen Strategy Bill, which called on Government to prepare a comprehensive hydrogen strategy. Inaction from successive Governments has left us lagging when it comes to the development of our offshore wind potential. Unfortunately, we seem to be repeating the same mistake when it comes to green hydrogen. Sinn Féin has a plan to resolve this and Sinn Féin in government would resolve this.

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