Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister. I hope to be able to work with him on this subject, which I hold very close to my heart. Previous speakers have said the Minister must take on this interest group, the IFA, and another interest group in regard to major articles in The Irish Timesthis week about forestry in Leitrim. No matter which way we go on climate change and how we address it, it will not be possible to make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. I recognise that this is difficult because there are interest groups which will have to be taken on and told that it will not be possible to go to certain places. This is an important issue not only for Ireland but for our planet and if we do not address it, we will be in serious difficulty. Our children and grandchildren will pay the price if we bow down to specific interest groups.

The Minister said the national low-carbon transition and migration plan will be published this year. One of the reforms introduced by the last Government was pre-legislative scrutiny. Along with that, came the Climate Change Advisory Council which was part of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Act. That was based on the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. I suggest to the Minister that he looks at the council's advice at an early stage so that it is published at the same time as the draft plan. That would allow us to weigh up expert advice against the draft plan, which would be very helpful. It was brought to my attention by Trócaire this week that this would facilitate a mature discussion and debate.

We are moving rapidly and technology is changing such that the householder will generate electricity and add it to the grid. Mention has been made of interconnectors and connection to the mainland. One of the things we have to look at now is our relationship to solar energy. We could move very quickly down the same road we have run along in regard to wind turbines, which are wholly unacceptable to sections of society. At the moment, major developers are travelling around Ireland, in particular to the south east, buying up rights. That is going to generate anxiety in communities. Agriculture-based communities will see jobs migrate in regard to solar energy. As such, we need to be cautious and to move very quickly. While we need to move in those directions, we need community support to do so. The White Paper has been very helpful. It was published by the previous Minister, Alex White, and it sets out an ambitious energy transition programme. We have to take that on board. It recommends very strongly that there be engagement with local communities, which is why I raise the issue of solar energy. There are rumblings at the moment but that could turn into a roar as we have seen in regard to wind energy. In many cases, wind energy has got a very bad name on foot of the lack of consultation and engagement with communities. Ireland has just one community-owned wind farm, which is at Templederry in Tipperary. We have to ask why we only have one community-owned project and what the barriers around that are. It is a 4.6 MW facility consisting of two turbines. On a cost-benefit analysis, the two turbines give a dividend to the community equivalent to that of 35 turbines. If we are really serious about community engagement and improving community activity in places like that, we must ask what we need to change. How can we assist that engagement and get community buy-in on renewable energy?

The Minister will come under very strong pressure at different stages in respect of our peat plants. I say this to be helpful. The same is true in regard to generation from gas and coal. The plants provide a very important local employment element. If we truly want to engage and move from that position, we must develop a plan on how to do it. That plan must include the people who are currently in employment in the area. How do we develop a local plan to move people who are currently employed in those areas to ensure that they have secure employment in their own local areas while reaching our targets? Peat plants have to close. The damage they are causing to our environment is far too great. As a Dub, I recognise, however, that they are very important to their local communities. We have to have a transition plan, not only in relation to reducing our carbon emissions but also for families and individuals which allows them to stay and work in their communities. One of the ways we can get local community buy-in is to go out with our hands open, say we want that proper engagement and, while setting out the target, indicate that we also want to secure the local community and local employment. We must work hand in hand with those communities.

There are a number of questions but I might not get through them all. I might e-mail them to the Minister if I may.