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

I believe we can meet our climate obligations and targets, which we need to do to protect our people from the incredible damage that will be done if we do not stop runaway climate change. The fact that last year, our emissions dropped by 6.8% shows it is possible. It is not just for environmental reasons. There are many social benefits as we make this switch to green. There are also, critically, benefits for the economy. I happened to be at the European Energy Council today and at the European Environment Council yesterday. We were discussing the Draghi report, which is the centre of the new European economic strategy. It is all about going green. I do not think there was a country there which did not think that if it does not do this, it will fall behind and its economy will not function. I disagree with the Deputy fundamentally. I believe electric vehicles have a real future and that new cars will all be electric, because they are better cars and are cheaper to run, especially when we can run them on our own renewable power rather than having to import and send money to the Middle East, Russia or elsewhere. This transition is coming. It will be good for our people. This Government has made incredible strides in that direction, as we can see with the numbers of houses being retrofitted. The number of electric vehicles on the road has taken a temporary reduction but it will come back because they are better cars and we will have the infrastructure to service them, including the renewable power.

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