Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak, even if briefly, on this issue. Of course, one could not be expected to cover the whole gamut associated with the transition of the economy and the effort on the part of Government to meet its target in regard to emissions right up to 2030 and even beyond to 2050. I will deal with a few issues that are pertinent to my own constituency and that have been greatly impacted, initially by the acceleration of decarbonisation long before the introduction of carbon budgets or the new targets that this Government set in its programme for Government. The cessation of extraction of peat on a commercial and industrial basis by Bord na Móna and, of course, the closure of power plants were eight to ten years ahead of plan. Thereafter, because such agencies as Bord na Móna and the ESB could no longer fulfil the remit that was given to them when they were set up, which was to create jobs and allow that region and economy to flourish, that remit is now back with Government. In its response, the Government, together with the EU, has created a €170 million just transition fund for the midlands, predominantly County Offaly, which was most impacted by that acceleration over recent years.

I welcome the fact the national development plan has matched the EU funding and that the Eastern and Midland Regional Authority is the administrative body that will administer and deliver that fund. I look forward to the early completion of the territorial plan that is being drawn up by the Department in conjunction with the stakeholders, having consulted the stakeholders and the wider audience over recent months. I ask that that would be done as speedily as possible and that the Government would forward it to the EU for clearance so that, ultimately, the process can begin by which that fund does what it was originally intended to do, which is to engender new innovative entrepreneurial skills to allow that region respond in the way it can.

As a result of that and, more recently, the debate about the turf issue and the clean air policy, which is primarily charged with the responsibility of extending the ban in regard to smoky coal, on foot of a response in this House by the Minister, Deputy Ryan, there was an intention on his part at least to extend that to turf usage throughout the country as well. As I said in response to that, both publicly and in this House, that practice is no longer as prevalent as it was. It is being replaced by new alternatives continually emerging. The process is being addressed by a new retrofit programme, but it is only beginning to do so. The turf cutting that we know, grew up with and acknowledge is something that will die organically.

The retrofitting programme in its first guise this year, for example, contains an 80% grant up to about €3,000 for the insulation of walls, ceilings and roofs, and the draught-proofing of doors and windows. I have argued and will continue to do so, and I hope, on an initial review of that retrofit programme, the Government will ensure, that those dependent on solid fuels would have an opportunity to retrofit their heating systems on foot of and further to the insulation grant. That would be a realistic option for those who are not in a position to do the deep retrofit that can cost many multiples of that figure, notwithstanding the ability of some households to do so, and more luck to them. I am aware of many credit unions that have green loan offerings to help and augment the costs associated over and above the grant that is being made available. I am sure that sort of product can only grow. Post offices and many others could enter that market too because that is the path we want to see travelled by all.

On the issue of heat I caution against the wholesale electrification of it. There are other means by which that can be addressed which can save on emissions and, it is hoped, save on cost too over time. I am particularly conscious of hydrotreated vegetable oil and the opportunity that exists for oil pumps to be converted to cater for it. Over a ten-year period that can bring up to 85% savings in emissions, which can and should be welcomed, and does not place the sort of strain there has been and will be on electrical provision. I do not believe we have the capacity, unfortunately, to meet the demands being placed upon energy in this country. Since the programme for Government and the detail associated with it in this regard was agreed by all parties and approved by the Dáil in the formation of Government, we have seen the pandemic and an ongoing terrible war in Ukraine and the impact that is having on energy provision and, as a consequence, on the cost of living in households and in business. The ambition that was contained within that might have been great initially but it does not meet the sort of ambition I believe can be harnessed in this country, especially in its offshore capabilities. It is not realistic to aim for 5 GW by 2030. It could be far more.

Progress is being made in regard to the authority that has been put in place to help in driving that ambition but it needs to be far greater. I am conscious for example of the work done by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority to ensure that area was developed and that the International Financial Services Centre materialised. It materialised more quickly than would have been the case had it not been put in place. It may have gone sour near the end, but lessons have to be learned from that.

It is that type of authority, drive, leadership and ambition that needs to be in place to drive the potential that we have offshore. Our offshore capability can be to the forefront of the delivery of a pan-European pipe across Europe. We have been at the back end of a pipe for too long. We can be at the front end now. I impressed upon the Taoiseach in recent months to ensure that is high on the agenda at EU Council meetings.

There has to be a way in which we can devise mechanisms to deliver the capacity and the capabilities much quicker than at present. Planning is taking far too long. I note much talk in relation to housing on foot of the President's remarks yesterday. Everybody shares that frustration at the inability to deal with this in a way which provides supply to meet demand. Despite record levels of funding and despite record levels of different schemes and initiatives that help in relation to affordability in relation to cost rental, these are not yet delivering on the ground. That is against the backdrop of a planning system that can take up to five years. That is against a background through which funds have been made available from Europeans, for example, who wish to invest in this country and walked away from it when they saw the delays associated with An Bord Pleanála not having a statutory time period to make decision. They see it regularly. For example, one saw it with Glanbia in Kilkenny, where one had a judicial review system that can allow a planning application of that nature, importance and significance to take up to five years to deliver. As a former councillor, I know the strides that have been made in relation to the background associated with the production of county development plans, regional development plans and national development plans. All those are done in a way which is compatible with national and regional guidelines in relation to density, capacity, height, design etc. Never was that the case back at the time when the planning laws were being flouted and disregarded, but they are there now. There has to be something in the national interest - legislation that can be brought to bear - to weigh an objection where there is one objection against 30,000 who might not have objected, are agreeing to or participated in the process by which a development plan was arrived at. Somebody can arrive and, at the stroke of a pen, put in a objection and hold something up for five years. Such a delay is wrong and has to be corrected. It is high time the Dáil and all the heads within it got together in a way in which they recognise that there is a national interest here that has to be respected, and also respect the process by which development plans are put in place and all of this combined is brought to bear to ensure that they are in place.

I see the same in relation to the provision of energy. I ask that the ambition that is contained within the targets that have been set be revisited. We have 15 GW available in offshore development on the south and east coast. There is 30 GW on the west coast. There is a potential 70 GW from wave energy there beyond. Each gigawatt powers 750,000 homes. There is an abundance that is available to us at our doorstep that is not being tapped into and we are told it is taking, in this country and beyond, seven years from inception to delivery. There is no way we as legislators can sit on our hands and allow that to be the case in relation to that sector of the provision of energy, and also five years in relation to housing.

The Government will bring forward proposals to amend the Planning and Development Act, we are told, in the autumn. I look forward to that but it is time we were a bit more prescriptive about what we want amended. Rather than allowing the Attorney General to give his opinion and bring forward his proposals and ideas, the Government and Members of the Dáil need to be prescriptive and tell him what they expect him to do in order that they then respect the views, opinions and the wishes of the electorate.

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