Results 21,241-21,260 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: This was one of the most contentious chapters and that is still the case. Would there be any benefit in considering it tomorrow? Could we defer it just to see if there is a way to agree on a different wording? It deserves further consideration and we are going to be coming back to it over the next four or five months anyway. We do not have to rush it now. I propose that we reflect on it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: There is also the chance that we will have a bigger attendance for that discussion tomorrow. We are all busy running around today. It will give us time to reflect.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: Moneypoint is the perfect location to bring off-shore wind ashore. When one talks to the experts in that area, they need connection to the grid, which it has, and a large platform where they put out the turbines, which it has. It has a deep sea jetty, which is critical, so it is perfect. Regarding Bord na Móna, I agree with the amendment as amended. We have a major problem because we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: We did that when we were in government. We introduced a carbon tax on large corporations in the emissions trading scheme, ETS. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court ruled against the way we did it. I think there are mechanisms like this that we should consider again looking at that Supreme Court judgement because it is appropriate for us, particularly with regard to seeing companies in the ETS...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: Obviously, we want to go where we can make the easiest gains, but sometimes there are other issues we have to take into account. One of the measures we could possibly take is targeting certain areas in the country. For example, for a variety of reasons, there may well be a case, in retrofitting social housing or supporting the private sector, to look at rural Ireland first. If something is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: Is Deputy Bríd Smith suggesting a tenant be given a tax allowance for-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: The tenant would have to do the work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: I believe the best approach which Sinn Féin included in a policy document the other day is that over a period we regulate to state landlords have to upgrade. That would be a far more effective measure. If we were to give a tax allowance to the tenant, there is a risk we would encourage landlords to keep the existing system. The rent would increase such that, like a lot of these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: This is a fairly self-explanatory amendment. An earlier comment referred to the scale of the challenge we face. No climate assessment was carried out in respect of the current national development plan and Project Ireland 2040. We learned that in our hearings. We also learned that even with all the projects that are included, the National Transport Authority, NTA, is projecting a 30%...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: This is not just about public transport. Cycling and walking are key opportunities to invest in improving our quality of life, the efficiency of the economy and the health of our people while reducing carbon emissions. There is no better form of low-emission transport than cycling, nor any means of transport that is better for personal health. If we are going to be serious about transport,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: I would prefer to provide for 20% to cycling and walking. That is the recommendation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: But?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: The first message is that it has to be focused, first and foremost, on rural Ireland. I thank everyone for his or her honesty in responding and think people will agree with a lot of what has been said. It shows the scale of the challenge we face. Someone said we could not have public transport passing through every town and village. We should set ourselves a target that every single...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: I am going to press my amendment, but the debate has been very useful because it shows the scale of the challenge we face.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: No. We should keep it as it is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: I will finish on this point. I would like to give reassurance, if I can. Obviously, safety comes first. The first priority in the roads budget must be maintenance. We must make sure our existing roads are safe. I believe that can be done while at the same time allocating two thirds of the budget to public transport - to rail and bus services. That is in line with the national planning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Third Report of Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Mar 2019)

Eamon Ryan: Yes.