Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

At the start of this term the public was promised a Government that would be green and would be environmentally ambitious. Despite all the talk we are not seeing when it comes to implementing change. Setting targets was important but it was the easy bit. Meeting the targets is the more difficult bit. We heard both today and yesterday repeated warnings from the Climate Change Advisory Council and the EPA that this Government and Ireland are not on target to meet our 2030 targets. That will result in an €8 billion fine for this country. Will the Taoiseach start investing in communities now? We have seen under this Government reductions in the solar and EV grants and measures for homes that are far too expensive. It is completely out of the grasp of most people to do their piece for climate action. As we look down the barrel of this election and €8 billion in fines, will the Taoiseach please consider ensuring the grants that are available are suitable and that we are investing in people and the environment now and not just wasting that money paying fines in a few years' time? The Social Democrats in government would not have cut those grants. In fact, we would have ramped them up to make sure everybody can play their part when it comes to the climate and that we bring everybody along. It is not okay that, as we move to a more carbon-neutral society, we are leaving people behind, not only people in poverty but also people who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads or pay their mortgage. They cannot afford to do things like solar panels or heat pumps. We need to help those people. It is much better use of public money to invest in those people now and invest in grants rather than just handing it over to Europe in 2030.

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