Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

At the outset, I want to say that I am not a climate change denier but I am a realist. So far, I have not heard enough debate that I could say is a level debate or equal to both sides. I reiterate some of what I said in the statements on agriculture last week. The level of balance when it comes to debating climate change and climate action measures is non-existent among our public service broadcasters. Private media companies are entitled to promote particular editorial opinions on whatever subjects they like. The same should not be the case for public service broadcasting.

One of the most impactful pieces of legislation to pass through these Houses last year was the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021. It floated through these Houses and the media with little scrutiny, while opponents of the Bill were treated with disdain by the ruling classes. Not only did the Opposition parties such as Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, the Labour Party and People Before Profit unite with the Government to support the Bill, unbelievably they complained that it did not go far enough. Then, having voted for a Bill that places an enormous cost burden on the ordinary working person, they stand up here on a regular basis complaining about the cost of living and that the Government should be taking measures to deal with it. Did any one of those who supported the climate action Bill, think through the consequences of the Bill before voting for it? It will make absolutely no material difference to climate change, but it is causing serious hardship to those struggling to make ends meet.

Did those who voted for the Bill not realise that raising the carbon tax every year until 2030 will have the greatest negative impact on the poorest in society? Petrol and diesel prices are rising again almost back up to the €2 per litre mark. Those who rely on public transport and who are in a position to be able to avail of public transport, are not affected by the rising cost of fuel, yet these are the people who received in the past few days a 25% discount on their travel costs. The 15 cent excise reduction amounted, at the time, to a 7.5% discount on fuel. Due to rising prices, however, it was not really a discount at all. Yet, those who use public transport are getting a 25% discount. The people cannot use public transport because it is not available in their area, particularly in most of rural Ireland, are effectively being left out of Government supports but paying the taxes that the carbon tax has increased.

Those who are affected most by the rising cost of fuel are those in rural Ireland and those who simply have no alternative. It would seem that Government policy is trying to gradually phase out rural Ireland altogether. Planning authorities are trying to make it next to impossible to build a house in rural Ireland. So much so that in years to come, and very few years to come, the rural GAA club, the rural school, the rural pub and the rural church will be a distant memory in many areas while we will all be herded into suburbia and while here on this small island our heritage, culture and society is being eroded in the name of saving the planet, China will be building more coal-powered plants. The cost of these mad climate policies is estimated by Professor Michael Kelly at €200,000 per household. There has not been a proper debate about whether or not our approach is the correct one, if it is going at the right pace, or if it is focusing on the correct things.

I spoke last week about Ireland's pathetic performance when it comes to planting trees. Trees are a proven and effective way of absorbing carbon and are vitally important. Yet, the Government seems totally disinterested in meeting the targets for tree planting. Not only is the Government not interested in planting trees, it is making it very cumbersome to manage woodlands due to a ridiculous licensing system, which needs reform. Carbon tax is currently €41 per tonne and people are at their wits' end trying to make ends meet with these increases. Unless this runaway train is halted by a large dose of cop on, at some stage carbon taxes will increase to €100 per tonne by 2030. We cannot tax ordinary people into poverty as a solution to climate change.

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