Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We know from the past that we can tackle this. When we introduced the ban on smoky coal in Dublin, we saved about 350 lives a year. We need to do that all over the country. This is not coming from us. The Asthma Society of Ireland makes it clear that the burning of solid smoky fuels is central to the problems that many of our children have with asthma. Are we to do nothing about asthma? Are we to ignore the heart surgeons, cardiologists and respiratory disease experts across the country who say this has to be tackled? It would be so easy to walk away and say we will not do that because it is difficult but what number of deaths should we tolerate? What should we do in ignoring that reality across the country? I do not believe we should ignore it and we will not do so. This Government will act and will deliver practical measures that are not there to punish anyone. They are part of a way of managing this so that we can protect people from fuel poverty and protect lives at the same time. I am very confident we can and will do that.

Deputy Doherty asked about the vote last night. There was another vote last night that I think was fundamental and important. What happened last night is that Sinn Féin changed its policy. To date, it has said it would not accept the increase in the carbon tax but it would retain the revenue that is already coming from it. Last night, Sinn Féin voted with Deputy Mattie McGrath and his colleagues in saying it wants to scrap it altogether.

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