Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister, Deputy Naughten, not only on his frequent appearances in this House but on the competence and enthusiasm he brings to his Ministry. That is important and welcome.

I agree with the view advanced by Senator Grace O'Sullivan that a consensus is emerging in this Parliament and throughout the country. There is an agreement, with very few dissenters, on the science in terms of our recent winters.The United Nations accepts the science and there is anecdotal evidence. Consensus has emerged that there is a major problem, that the impact is extraordinary and that the result of not acting on this would be perilous for humanity. There is no dispute around that. There is little dissent and that, in itself, is positive. The consensus must be of assistance to the Minister in doing his job.

There are so many facets to this. I will offer one quirky point. I undertook a little checking before coming to the House. One of the results of climate change is a reduction in the bee population in the world. This is a serious reduction and it constitutes a threat to global crop production. Apart from the rising seas and the extremes of weather etc. the effects are extraordinary.

I will address some practical points to which I would like the Minister to respond. I call on the Minister to set out where he is at and his response in terms of actions and when those actions might take place. It is accepted now that there is a need to expedite the numbers and use of electric cars. What plans does the Minister have in this area to incentivise the use of electric cars? Have we done a cost-benefit analysis in respect of climate change and favourable VRT or taxation rates? It is a question of whatever incentives we can use to get electric cars to be acceptable or used on a wide basis.

The whole area of insulation grants and retrofitting is important. The Minister referred to quality of life. I come from an area similar to that of the Minister and my good friend, Senator Leyden. In the constituency in which I live, there are several people in older houses. Despite all the new and exotic houses that have been built, there are still many older houses that have not been properly insulated. They are not heat preserving or good at maintaining heat. The quality of life for the people in these houses would be greatly enhanced by grant aid and by a more aggressive campaign in this area. Perhaps I am missing something but I am unsure whether the schemes have registered yet in the public consciousness or whether there is sufficient take-up. I am unsure whether the schemes are sufficiently accessible or attractive. I call on the Minister to respond to these points. I would appreciate it as a practical step. At the end of the day, this has to be a series of practical steps. We have accepted the broad philosophy and the ambition. We accept the targets etc. Now, it is a question of how we do it.

The co-operatives throughout Ireland have been successful in the past and there is a longstanding tradition. This is clear in the Minister's area and in mine, as well as throughout the country. There is great potential for co-operative wind turbines and I am keen to know what we can do to advance it. They could keep a community in alternative energy and have a level of micro-generation at that level as well. If the turbines created surplus energy, the co-operatives could benefit from the sale of the surplus to the grid. Similarly, if individuals had micro-generators in their houses they could benefit as well. Community wind turbines have great effects. I take the point made by Senator Leyden about schools and I support that view. The county councils and local authorities can do a great deal more.

A good deal of local authority housing stock is not yet sorted or retrofitted. I commend to the Minister the idea that this should become a major priority.

I agree with the Minister that the potential of solar panels has not been fully exploited for individual use nor has it been fully marketed.

My final point relates to waste. I know from public and private briefings from the Minister to the committee that he is going to address this issue. I am keen to hear the Minister's response to what can be done to reduce waste. We know it was the source of a 13% increase in emissions in that sector last year.

The use, expansion and funding of the green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, is the way to go in agriculture. It is acceptable to the farmers. It provides motivation and incentivises them. It is a question of the way they respond, and they are responding well to GLAS in terms of take-up. We need to expand on that.