Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Go bunúsach, aontaím leis an Teachta go bhfuil géarghá ann i bhfad níos mó a dhéanamh chomh tapa agus is féidir linn, agus é a dhéanamh níos tapúla, chun déileáil leis an ngéarchéim aeráide atá againn. Tá an dúshlán atá amach romhainn práinneach agus caithfimid i bhfad níos mó a dhéanamh níos tapúla.

I agree with the Deputy that we have to move faster and we have to do an awful lot more in terms of climate change. I recently heard Mr. John Kerry, the US envoy, pointing out that world experts were saying that even if we took action now, it would not stop a crisis caused by climate change. It would just stop the worst consequences of the crisis. Already, we are experiencing a crisis brought about by climate change. The challenge ahead of us now is to move fast as a world to prevent the worst consequences. We have a lot of drought in the Horn of Africa, for example. We have desertification and so on. We have got to move quickly. That is why we have taken measures. I appreciate that the Deputy has acknowledged that in terms of some of the public transport measures in particular. She has referenced those in terms of the experience in Galway.

I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. My view is that he is committed to the idea of light rail in all of our cities. In terms of commissioning a feasibility study in respect of that, I will talk to him.

I know that in the recovery and resilience plan, significant funding was allocated, for example, in the Cork area for the Mallow-Midleton commuter line through Kent Station, with a view to creating proper commuter lines that would encourage development, including residential development, compact growth and so on in the cities and towns. Likewise in terms of fare reductions, we will continue to look at that issue in the context of the next budget in terms of that strategy and encouraging people to use public transport.

I did not get a chance in the earlier exchange to discuss active travel. Fairly transformative work has already been done on active travel and we are only two years in government. The budget for active travel will transform the country in terms of cycling routes, walking routes and access to cities as a result.

There has been a significant improvement in solar. Offshore wind is key for this country. Again, the European Union will be bringing in a regulation - this will cause challenges - with a view to creating an overriding public interest in terms of getting wind farms established, which local governments can then take into account when trying to fast-track offshore wind projects, which we need to do.

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