Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Some progress was made at COP27, particularly on loss and damage, and Ireland played a key role in securing that. I welcome this. However, it was disappointing to see the lack of a commitment to cutting emissions faster and, once again, there was no agreement to reduce or even phase out the global use of fossil fuels despite the huge focus on the concept of a non-proliferation treaty for fossil fuels which had been so well flagged in advance of the COP27 meeting. The loss and damage fund is welcome and it promises financial aid from developed countries, but we have no sense yet of what level of money is involved. The question of who pays will not be agreed until next year and that is the critical issue.

What extra money will Ireland be committing to the loss and damage fund? What proceeds will we use for this? Will the Taoiseach be seeking agreement at EU level for member states to lead on this internationally, as the EU led on the concept of a loss and damage fund? Closer to home, can the Taoiseach confirm when our own climate action plan will be published and will we have time to debate it in this Dáil?

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