Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I was taking in a lot of figures there; I appreciate that the Deputy has done a lot of work on this. The purpose of the Deputy's question is largely around the issue of carbon tax. On the issue of speed limits, it is about trying to get it right. It is about recognising - we all share this view - that far too many people die on Irish roads. Being very honest, the progress we had made is now at best stalled; in recent years, we have gone backwards. We all know and think about far too many tables that have empty seats around them. The speed limit issue is about trying to get that right, because speed kills. As a politician, I like to rely on the expert advice and input of the likes of the Road Safety Authority in terms of how we get this right. However, it is important that we empower local authorities to deal with local roads. They sometimes have the necessary degree of local knowledge that allows them to recognise which roads are safe and can have a positive input.

In the context of carbon tax, we in this country have to be very honest about the climate debate. We have a huge amount of work to do to get both our country and Europe to where they need to be when it comes to climate action. One small part of the overall work that needs to be done relates to carbon tax and what that revenue raised by means of this tax is used for. The Deputy contacts Ministers on behalf of his constituents in Limerick asking about the fuel allowance and retrofitting. I am pleased to say that much of the money that is collected through the carbon tax is now going back into those areas. We are trying to make sure that there is fairness to this. One example in this regard relates to the Department of the Minister, Deputy Calleary, where a great deal of the money being used to fund the expansion of the fuel allowance comes from carbon tax. Sometimes, people wonder where the money they pay in carbon tax goes. It is bring used to try to ensure that those most in need of keeping warm - thankfully, we are having a nice day today - can do so. It is about also making sure from a climate point of view that we make it easier for people to meet the cost of retrofitting their homes.

We have a fundamental policy disagreement on this, and I recognise that upfront. The Government has been very clear in relation to the Climate Change Advisory Council recommendation and the recommendations of the scientific experts who feed into it. We use climate tax as one of a number of measures to try to get Ireland to where it needs to be in relation to climate action.

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