Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a member of the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, I welcome the opportunity to examine the outcome of the most recent UN Conference of the Parties that was held in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6 to 20 November. I thank the Taoiseach for his earlier update on the conference. I congratulate him and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on their work at COP27. I particularly welcome the Taoiseach's comments about the need for urgent delivery and a swift transition.

The breakthrough at the conference to support least developed countries through a loss and damage fund is particularly welcome. Island nations such as Vanuatu, as referenced by the Taoiseach earlier, are at extreme risk as are people across Africa and Southeast Asia. It is important that developed countries support these nations as they transition to net zero.

While the full details of the loss and damage fund are to be finalised, I ask the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to ensure that the fund includes very robust controls to ensure the monies are directed to those most in need.

Here in Ireland, the focus must be on a fast transition and we need to see far more urgency in areas like solar, retrofitting and upgrading the public transport network.

The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will be aware that I have raised in the past his own suggestion that solar panels be installed on the homes of people obliged to use additional energy as a consequence of a medical illness. Unfortunately, progress has been far too slow in this regard. Likewise, there has been slow progress on ensuring people with solar panels can sell surplus power back to the grid.

I would like to see further action on shallow and full retrofits. In my own constituency of Dún Laoghaire, the retrofitting of council homes is moving far too slow and it will take 50 years to retrofit the 4,500 units there.

As I have raised with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, equally in the past, we need to see an accelerated roll-out of improvements to public transport services, particularly in Dublin, with a continued focus on rail and Luas extensions. These projects are critical for the new communities being developed as part of the Housing for All programme.

Unfortunately, my time is limited here today but I also would have liked to touch on wind power, forestry and food security. I welcome the additional funding announced in announced in budget 2023. It is clear that funding is available. Now we need to see delivery as neither Ireland nor the world cannot wait.

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