Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

At the centre of any debate around climate change there needs to be a discussion on how ordinary workers are protected from the sharp edge of any new policies. The move towards a greener society is very doable but it is important that the Government brings everybody along with them, and that it does not hammer those who cannot afford to switch to alternatives in the short term. One only has to look at the Government's new retrofitting scheme to find an example of policy that disadvantages those who have the least ability to pay. If you are lucky enough to have €25,000 to spare you can apply for another €25,000 even if you can well afford it. There are also grants for electric vehicles but the catch is that you must be in a position to buy a brand new electric car.

The vast majority of people cannot afford to access any of these incentives. Those people who could do with a leg up are never going to get ahead if the bar is set too high. Policies need to be proofed with the social and economic impacts in mind. We need to avoid penalising people who have not got an alternative. In Sinn Féin's alternative budget for 2022 we allocated €10.8 million towards a just transition commission. The Government has plans to establish a commission but it really needs to be done now as a matter of urgency. A just transition should be to the benefit of everybody and not just those with deep pockets. We need to do everything we can to support those who do not have the money to go green.

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