Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are in a climate emergency. Report after report highlights the escalating reality of global warming and the need for urgent mitigations. As the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, stated last month, it is long past the time for climate rhetoric. What we need is climate action.

Unfortunately, the Government, like the previous one, is ignoring some of the small wins and the low-hanging fruit that would be a positive step in the right direction. Two weeks ago, Sinn Féin moved legislation on solar panels for schools because we were frustrated at the lack of Government action on removing the current planning permission obstacles that exist for schools and community buildings which want to make use of solar energy. I note that has gone to public consultation, potentially putting this beyond this Dáil term, well into the next term and into the new school year. To mitigate climate, these regulations could be changed overnight if the political will was there. Far from solving the climate crisis, it would be a small step and a small win. It would be a considerable benefit to schools but the Government has been dragging its heals. I am glad to see some progress but, to be honest, we should be much further down the road in relation to that. Four months ago, commitments were made by the Taoiseach that regulations would be introduced within three weeks to allow schools to erect panels and make use of solar energy and that still has not happened. It will be the next Dáil before it does.

I also want to take the opportunity briefly to raise issues regarding the Cork metropolitan area transport strategy. In my area, it has many positive elements. I am glad that light rail, something that I have been raising for three or four years, has made its way into the strategy. However, I have previously raised my fear that we are focusing too much on long-term and not enough on the short and medium-term benefits from that. The issue of the potential for bus rapid transport in Cork is a significant one. The success of the Glider in Belfast is a good demonstration of what is possible in the short term in terms of bus rapid transit. Obviously, there is the BusConnects proposal, but we should look at what has been done in Belfast in terms of something eye-catching and creative that can encourage that modal shift in addition and complementary to the BusConnects proposal. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, agreed in November 2020 that this was a good idea but we have not seen any progress in relation to that. That will be a crucial area in terms of reducing reliance on cars in the Cork area.

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