Dáil debates

Wednesday, 15 June 2022

Energy Security: Motion [Private Members]

 

10:52 am

Photo of Pat BuckleyPat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The boat sailed years ago. This Government and previous Governments have not listened to the Opposition parties in this House. As was mentioned, in the previous Dáil, of which I was a Member, Deputy Stanley tried to introduce a microgeneration scheme. Individuals and small businesses acted on this but they still cannot get excess electricity back into the grid or sell it to the grid. Microgeneration is a solution that was in place; it was not just an idea. The refund scheme was another solution but this Government and previous Governments have said "No". They have decided to forget just transition and instead just beat people with a stick.

A previous speaker referred to what will happen this winter. I, too, dread the circumstances the most vulnerable, the elderly, people with disabilities, and people in rural communities who depend on home heating oil will face. They are not on the grid. What will happen to them? Are we going to be back here again scratching our heads and asking why this is happening.

Previous speakers mentioned offshore wind and green hydrogen. There are solutions but every time we listen to the other side of the House speak on green policy, the only solution they propose is to box people into a corner and punish them rather than looking at what works in other parts of the world. There are simple solutions for public transport. In Japan, for example, people can pay for a train ticket with used plastic bottles. That is a solution and, in the first instance, people are also cleaning the place.

Sinn Féin raised the idea of a refund scheme. I remember speaking on the matter in the previous Dáil when I recalled an earlier refund scheme where people received 5 pence for returning a bottle. The bottle was brought back to the shop where it was washed, recycled and refilled. This meant there was less rubbish, people were educated and they also made a few bob. I mentioned at the time that schoolchildren who were not old enough to get a summer job in a factory would go to a beach or down the bóithríns of this country on their summer holidays to pick up plastic bottles, clean up the environment, educate themselves and get a few bob in pocket money. That is a win-win solution.

I ask the Government to take on board solutions that other parties propose. I am dismayed that we are debating this issue today.

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