Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It has not in any way, shape or form. It should not take five minutes to point out the fact that everybody accepts what needs to happen in opposition to climate change. We can all see the failures involved. If carbon tax is intended as a means of changing behaviour, it has not succeeded. That narrative has stopped. We are being told about how much is being ring-fenced from the carbon tax. I heard that for every €100 raised through the carbon tax, approximately €14 is ring-fenced. We have all seen, on some level, a supercharged carbon tax in the context of the inflation with which we are dealing. There were already supply chain issues before the start of the criminal war by Russia in Ukraine. However, the fact is that we keep using terms such as "just transition" without getting down to the brass tacks. We are talking here about people who are struggling to pay for home heating oil. There are people who remain reliant on turf. We have not put the pieces in place to carry out any element of a transition, just or otherwise.

These difficulties are common across Europe. People see that climate change is being associated with putting pressure on individuals through additional payments. Those pressures are falling on those who cannot afford to pay. If opposing climate change is going to be associated extra taxation and more pressure on those who are in poverty, it is destined to fail.

We all know where the game-changing pieces are. We know the change needs to be done at governmental level.

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We know the Government has to do the heavy lifting. The one thing we learned during the pandemic is that the State is necessary and is sometimes the only institution that can step in and do the necessary business. It will be states that will have to step up to the plate to carry out these sorts of actions, no more than to deal with the humanitarian crisis caused by this war. I accept that it is not going to be easy but we need to look after people properly and to put in place infrastructure that is fit for purpose. Carbon taxes will not do the business. Behavioural change is not happening because people do not have the alternatives they need.

We really need to get the wind energy piece in place. All of us, or at least a considerable number of us, get that we have the opportunity to become a superpower with regard to renewables and wind energy. On some days, you only have to put your head out the window to realise that. We are an island and have certain advantages, including our capacity for offshore generation, but we are not where we need to be. We know the difficulties we have with regard to planning. I accept that there are now frameworks in place and that some of what is necessary to develop this sector will finally be in place by the end of this year but the fact is that we still have major clogs and difficulties with regard to planning across the board. The Attorney General is looking at some of these issues. There are issues with An Bord Pleanála and judicial reviews. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of these operations and anything that needs to be changed, it is obvious that we need to provide resources as these bodies are part of the necessary infrastructure. We need to ensure we can deliver upon our plans.

People have spoken about the difficulties we have in respect of home heating oil, particularly in my constituency where it is used by a considerable number of people. However, there are also other issues that need to be looked at. Carlinn Hall in Dundalk has a gas-powered communal heating system. This was meant to be powered by biofuels. I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and others on this matter. They are to follow up with officials because this system has been utterly inefficient. In the long term, it will need to be changed and improved but, at this point in time, there are people who are suffering as a result of gas prices. There are no protections for them as domestic users. Beyond that, they are suffering because of the inefficiency of this system. We need rules and regulations that ensure there will not be further cases of this kind but we also need to give protection to the people affected at this point in time.

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