Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I often say that we need more common sense in our politics. The problem is that common sense is a subjective concept. There is common sense in collecting revenue through a carbon tax and in specifically doing what we have committed to in our programme for Government. In a very honest and an upfront way, the programme for Government states that we are going to continue to use carbon tax revenues to fund: social welfare measures for those most in need; agri-environmental schemes to help our farmers - rather than lecturing or talking down to them - in terms of the adaptations they need to make to continue to produce some of the best food produce in the world; and retrofitting, in order to help make peoples' homes more environmentally friendly, warm and cheaper to heat. That is where we are trying to get to.

To be honest, when it comes to climate, there is not much low-hanging fruit. There is a climate emergency. The planet is on fire and we are trying to take pragmatic, practical measures to help to move the dial in respect of the changes we need to make in Ireland.

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