Dáil debates
Thursday, 21 June 2018
Topical Issue Debate
Climate Change Policy
4:15 pm
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I hope the Government was as shocked as most citizens at the report the other day on how different countries in the European Union were performing in meeting their climate change obligations. We are rightly fond of stressing how well Ireland does in many international assessments, given the difficulties we have come through in the past ten years, but the report was a kick in the pants for a Government and a Department supposedly dealing with climate change. However, they are all talk and almost no action. In fact, I was amazed to see the Taoiseach and four or five Cabinet Ministers who perhaps included the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, although I am not sure how many attended, launch yet another report on climate change the other day. The report about which I am talking placed us second last in the European Union after Poland. As the House probably knows, Poland has a Government that is climate sceptical and also produces a lot of coal. That we should rank second last in the European Union is a real shame. More importantly, it is a shame in the context of future growth opportunities in Ireland. Unless we have a Government and Department policy that really goes after climate change, we will not improve. In that respect, while I have no objection to the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, answering this question, I am extremely disappointed that the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, who was in the House only a couple of hours ago has failed to show up. With all due respect, I do not believe the Minister of State works in his Department or has a function in it. I can understand her helping out a colleague and I have no objection to her at all, but the Minister is just funking out of coming into the Dáil to speak about how badly we are doing on climate change. Because it affects us all and the planet, I would have expected more from the Government and the person responsible for climate change policy in government, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Before the Minister of State responds, what we have been trying to do on Topical Issues is reach a situation where, when a Member has a matter selected, the Minister responsible will come into the House to address it.
Where the Minister is not available, he or she should communicate with the Member and suggest an alternative occasion on which he or she would be available. It is regrettable if that is not happening. The Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, is welcome to the House as always.
4:25 pm
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I only received word that I was to take the Topical Issue a while back.
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I appreciate that and thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I have no issue with her.
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge that but to clarify, we contacted the Deputy's office to leave a message that I would take the matter. We said that if she wanted to make a change with the Ceann Comhairle, that would be fine by us. I will read the statement and then perhaps discuss the other matters Deputy Burton has raised. By the way, I was not at the launch.
I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Yesterday, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and other members of the Government launched the climate action priority element of Project Ireland 2040. The funding commitments in the national development plan will see a major step change in the funding available for climate action over the next decade. Almost €22 billion is to be directed to addressing the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient society through a combination of Exchequer and semi-State investments. The national development plan also allocated a further €8.6 billion for investments in sustainable mobility. This means that well over €1 in €5 spent under the national development plan will be on climate action. This capital investment will enable us to deliver a significant reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions over the period to 2030.
Building on the existing measures to reduce our emissions set out in the national mitigation plan published last July, key investment priorities in the national development plan for climate action include transitioning Moneypoint away from coal by the middle of the next decade; energy efficiency upgrades of 45,000 homes per year from 2021; support for a major roll-out of heat pump technologies; delivering energy upgrades to BER "B" level to all public buildings and a minimum of one third of commercial buildings; implementing the new renewable electricity support scheme to deliver an additional 3,000 MW to 4,500 MW of renewable energy with an initial focus on shovel-ready projects, which could contribute to our 2020 targets; roll-out of the support scheme for renewable heat and national smart metering; at least 500,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2030 with additional charging infrastructure to cater for planned growth and a €5 million climate action fund, which the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment announced last month, to leverage investment by public and private bodies in climate action measures.
The Government recognises that expenditure alone is neither affordable nor sufficient to meet the scale of the climate challenge ahead and that we need a targeted balance between Government and private expenditure, taxation, regulation and behavioural change. New regulatory commitments in the national development plan include a commitment to no new non-zero emission cars to be sold in Ireland post 2030, with no NCT certificates to be issued for non-zero emission cars post 2045. This is one of the most ambitious commitments on zero emissions on passenger vehicles in the EU. There is a further commitment to a transition to a low emission urban bus fleet, including electric buses, with no diesel-only buses purchased from 1 July 2019. Further consideration will be given to climate-focused taxation measures in the context of budget 2019.
The Government is a strong supporter of the Paris Agreement and its objectives. Ireland is also committed to the EU commitment under the Paris Agreement to achieve at least a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 1990 levels relative to 2030.
Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The most important Government commitment, not only since the appointment of the current Taoiseach but over the course of its lifetime, was to set up the strategic communications unit. This quasi-press release from the Minister, Deputy Naughten, is not an answer to a parliamentary question. It tells us about all the great things that will be done, commencing in five and seven years' time. Very little of what is here explains how we will move from second last place with a rating of 22% compliance with the Paris Agreement which we signed up to as a country. We are all in favour of the agreement. That is great. We all debated it and signed up years ago. The evidence of the Climate Action Network, CAN, report, however, is that we are second last in Europe in respect of the agreement. In our daily lives and in our constituencies, we are all becoming increasingly familiar with yellow and red storm warnings, snow storms and other unusual and extreme weather events. While Ireland is small, it is subject as an island to the full forces of the Atlantic and the Irish Sea. We do not have to be scientists to see that extreme weather events are becoming relatively more frequent with consequent enormous costs. I feel sorry for the Minister of State who had to read out what is basically a PR statement. The publicity event was straight out of the strategic communications unit. This issue is far too serious to be dealt with as a publicity stunt.
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate what Deputy Burton has said and her knowledge and passion on this subject. I am given a task to do. While the Deputy may not be happy with the reply, the issues she has raised have been noted and I will go back to the Minister on them. I will read part of the follow-up material in reply.
The Government does not accept the assessment in the CAN Europe publication of 18 June ranking member states on climate ambition and progress against targets. The report's conclusions do not reflect Ireland's ambitions on climate action, our commitment to the Paris arrangement, our very ambitious domestic 2050 objectives or our support for the EU 2030 targets. There are difficult days and challenges ahead and we are playing catch-up as a country on our climate change obligations. This is as much an opportunity as an obligation. In any event, it is a moral necessity and a vital national interest. Addressing climate change and our climate targets to 2030 and beyond is at the top of the Government's policy agenda. I was not at the launch of the climate change report yesterday but I assure the Deputy that I understand fully that she may not be happy with the reply. I only have what is in front of me. As my knowledge is not as clear as hers, I will bring what she said back to the Minister. While I am grateful to be allowed to take this matter, I stress that Deputies should be informed when a Topical Issue is to be taken by a Minister of State who might not be able to answer some of the questions that are put.