Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We have the Department of Transport, an arm of central government, saying that it will close one road and open another. It needs local leadership. A second example of where we have a real issue is that a number of county councils in response to public concerns have basically frozen out the potential development of renewable power in their various development plans. Our ability to meet our renewables targets, which will cover half of the emissions reductions we have to see this decade, has been stymied in many instances by the development plans which basically stop it. Again, we are probably going to have to work through the national planning framework towards a more regional approach. It is fairer that it is not just some counties doing the heavy lifting and others not and also counties not benefiting from it. A third example - and the Deputy's case is a good one - is in the waste area. I agree with the Deputy. We have taken too much power from the local authorities. We need to restore action and decision-making at local level and create this new circular economy opportunity. However, that too can only come from a bottom-up approach. We will provide the legislative and other structures and funding and financing from central government but it requires leadership at a local level as well.

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