Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome these statements. They take place on the day of the publication of another major report outlining the damage global warming is doing to our planet and all its inhabitants. The State of the Global Climate report from the World Meteorological Organization, WMO, shows that the four key climate change indicators - greenhouse gas concentrations, sea level rise, ocean heat and ocean acidification - broke records in 2021. The WMO said this is another clear sign that human activities are causing planetary scale changes with long-lasting ramifications for sustainable development and ecosystems. The findings and statistics in this report and the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, findings will come as no shock to most, as the science has been clear for decades. What has been missing, however, is action. We know what needs to be done and we know how to do it. What we need now is the Government to lead and deliver.

There will be no transition without a just transition. That is a matter of fact. A just transition is a critical component of climate action.

A just transition means the bringing together of workers, communities, employers and the Government in social dialogue in order to drive the concrete plans, policies and investments needed for a fast and fair transformation to a low-carbon economy and to ensure that employment and jobs in the new economy are as decent and well-paid as those left behind. I wish to raise concerns, first, with the timelines, but also with the narrow scope of what the Government means by a just transition, which seems to be limited to the midlands. It certainly needs to apply there, but it also needs to apply in the broadest sense to everybody who is involved in this transition.

We discussed the importance of a just transition and climate justice at length during the extensive debates on the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. During those debates, Sinn Féin and others brought forward amendments that would have defined what constitutes a just transition in the Act and ensured that the climate action plans were drafted with reference to just transition principles. The Government rejected all amendments tabled on Committee Stage and Report Stage however, and, as a result, the Act and the climate policies flowing from it are weaker because they fail to meet the bar of equity and fairness. They fail to deliver a just transition.

Retrofitting is one such policy area that is failing the just transition equity test. Sinn Féin agrees that we need to retrofit the housing stock to reduce emissions and energy use, but where we disagree is how the Government is approaching it. The Minister has introduced a new scheme this year, which prioritises ability to pay over need. If someone is fortunate enough to have €25,000 available, he or she can now get a grant of €25,000 to retrofit their home, regardless of whether the financial help is needed. I am sure the Minister of State will tell us this is balanced out by the free energy upgrades for others, but what he fails to mention is the 8,000 homes already on the growing waiting list and a delay of 27 months to get works done. The target of completing 400 homes a month is still not being achieved, despite what has been claimed by some. Under the new plan, those who have money are generously supported to get a warmer home sooner. They are at the top of the list. For every euro in carbon tax they pay, they are getting a very good return. People who qualify for the free energy upgrade must sit tight for two years or more. Someone might get to them eventually. All the while they will pay more in carbon tax to heat their homes. They will get some return on the carbon tax, but it will be slow and in the vast majority of cases the retrofits are not deep retrofits. However, renters or those on a low income who earn too much to qualify for the free scheme but not enough to afford works themselves, like very many people, are out of luck. Such people will get no return on their carbon tax.

The national retrofit scheme is devoid of equity. It is benefiting those with means over those in need, and was not designed with a just transition in mind. There is a better, fairer way. We could start with the national social housing stock. We could identify those living in fuel poverty or reliant on solid fuels and start with them. We could put an income cap in place to ensure more money can be targeted at those who need it most. There are options in this area, but the Government is choosing not to take them. It is a long way off a just transition, but at the very least we should make sure that this transition does not drive people into poverty or further into poverty. The Government is failing to do that. It is just transition, it is not just stop being poor transition.

It is not just the retrofitting policy that fails the test, it is the same when it comes to electric vehicle grants. People with the money to buy a brand-new €50,000 car can get a €5,000 grant and €5,000 off the vehicle registration tax, VRT. They will also get a home charger grant, cheaper motor tax and reduced tolls. That is a very good return on their carbon tax. If, like most, however, you are unable to afford a new car, there is nothing for you except higher prices at the forecourts due to the ever-increasing costs. Similarly, PAYE workers can get a significant discount on a bicycle or an e-bike, but there is nothing for students, the self-employed or unemployed. To state it clearly again, Sinn Féin agrees with retrofitting. We agree with the need for electric vehicles. We agree with the need to get more people cycling and involved in active travel, but we want to see fairer policies that will deliver these measures while prioritising those most in need. We need an approach encompassing a just transition. The Government's alternative is driving a wedge between people. It is leaving people behind and in the only measure that matter, emissions reductions, it is failing miserably.

The Minister will have received correspondence in advance of this debate from the Just Transition Alliance. This alliance includes the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, TASC, SIPTU, Fórsa, Friends of the Earth and others. They have called for the establishment of a national just transition commission, in advance of formal legislation at the end of the year, based on social dialogue and comprised of representatives of the Government, trade unions, employers, affected communities and civil society. The commission would focus on job retention; the protection of living standards; skills development; the creation of decent work in respect of new employment opportunities; the prioritisation of the most vulnerable regions and sectors; and would be underpinned by a commitment to genuine community and regional development. Sinn Féin supports this call. I hope the Minister of State can update us on this area.

The transition to a zero-carbon society and economy does not have to be punitive or achieved through eco-austerity. The framing is completely wrong. This transition should transform and improve the lives of millions in this country by means of warmer homes, cleaner air, shorter commutes, cheaper electricity and greener spaces. Unfortunately, this Government's approach means that most people just see cost. They see hypocrisy when it comes to data centres, and they see unfairness when it comes to policies. We need to invest in public transport; build good quality public housing; invest in wind and solar renewable energy; undertake a truly ambitious afforestation programme; and retrofit our national housing stock, starting with those in need, not those with ability to pay. A just transition should be at the heart of all Government policies, and it is conspicuous by its absence at the moment.

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