Results 281-300 of 4,144 for speaker:Brian Leddin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: There is general agreement on the committee that it is something that needs to be tackled but there is a lack of good analysis and research out there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: That is a very good point. We have time if members want to ask further questions. I want to home in on aviation and maritime emissions a little. We hope to get good news in the next week or two from the COP and international agreement in that area. Ireland has indicated it wants to make progress there. The politics of this are really important because from an economic justice or equity...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Not the superyachts and the private jets.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Of aviation emissions? I do not think they are anything like that. My problem is what if we focus on this and target these guys and then we do not achieve anything. We need to look at the sectors generally but it is politically very difficult to look at the sectors in a broad way and it is politically very easy to say let us target the private jets and superyachts, which we absolutely must do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Yes, which is tiny compared with the aviation movements-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: We should do it but if we focus on that, we will not achieve what we need to achieve, namely, radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Anyone who is flying is in the 10%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Okay. I thank Mr. Murtagh.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: It is the fairness aspect I am alluding to. We would be ignoring fairness if we were to look just at the superwealthy. We must target them but the other 10% of people are incredibly wealthy and privileged by comparison with the rest. It is not fair to the rest if we are not looking at that 10% of people referred to who are taking 70% of flights. Politically, if we are just talking about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I never used the word "populist".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I fundamentally agree with those points, but I am referring purely to the aviation issue, in particular, and to maritime, to a certain extent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: On the aviation emissions, against the argument to levy aviation tax and a tax on maritime fuel as well is that we are an island. The context is very different here to that of member states across Europe and that all has to be part of the discussion. Did other members wish to speak?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I will bring it back to COP28. Is there something there in respect of data centres and the international picture? I do not know. Is the challenge of data centres, from a climate point of view, being discussed at international level? We are talking about it nationally. It is a very important conversation but, surely, other countries are hosting a lot of data centres. Is that discussion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: It is not on the agenda of COP28, as far as we know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: The argument is that, if the data centres were not in Ireland, Moneypoint might not be running at all and would not be getting coal from these places. It is fair to call what is happening in these places human rights crimes. I thank Mr. Murtagh for that. There are no other questions from members so we will-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: COP28: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I thank Mr. O'Neill for that. It is a very worthwhile suggestion. We would probably struggle to fit it in before Christmas as there are only a few weeks left but let us keep it in mind for early in the new year. It would be very useful to have a debrief on COP28, setting us up for the following year. This meeting has been very informative. There are a few very immediate asks of the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: 71. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress which has been made by the steering group to advance the flood mitigation works at Ballycar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52303/23]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Strategies (23 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: 22. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress of the National Industrial Strategy for Offshore Wind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51532/23]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (23 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: 85. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will request that his Department undertake a vehicle taxation report considering the introduction of weight and size-based taxes on private vehicles in Ireland to incentivise a switch to smaller and lighter vehicles, similar to the weight tax in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51579/23]