Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the presence of Senator Coffey who steered this legislation through the House. I smiled at Senator McDowell’s contribution. The document was here in the House, but leaving that aside, in my contribution I said that there is a shortfall and I acknowledged that we will not reach our 2020 targets. However, I also said, "This shortfall reflects our constrained investment capacity for over the decade between 2008 to 2019 due to the economic crisis, including the impact of the troika programme and the EU fiscal governance requirements." I am sure the Senator can think back to how we ended up in the situation in the first place. It would have made things much easier if we had had the capacity to carry out the investment we needed to carry out.

I want to encourage Senators to read the annual transition statement. This is the first statement, it will be built on and we have a lot of work to do. I would love to be here to outline some of the proposals in respect of the mitigation plan, the renewable heat incentive scheme, the climate change dialogue, the public sector energy efficiency programme, the clean air plan, the broadband strategy and the bio-energy initiative, which I will have in the coming weeks. I do not have them here today which is as frustrating for me as it is for everyone else.

I will deal with as many of the issues raised as I can in the time allowed. I thank all the Members for their contributions and constructive ideas. This is the first statement. The legislation was passed only 12 months ago. I have been a Minister since May. I have been Minister for the environment since 27 July. We are all involved in this process. Since becoming Minister I have said consistently that we need to acknowledge the issues Senator Mulherin raised because there is no point lecturing people unless we try to bring communities with us, whether it is a question of microgeneration or how to bring people along in respect of peat-fired power stations.

I have listened to the Green Party and to An Taisce but I was the only one who said before the general election that we need to convert our peat-fired power stations in my constituency. Senators McDowell and Leyden will acknowledge that. I took the brave decision on that because it is the right thing to do. We have to bring people with us and work with them. It is not a case of lecturing them or, as Senator Humphreys says, shutting them down tomorrow morning. There is a transition involved and there are 1,800 jobs and families involved in it. People say we have to get them alternative jobs. How easy is it to get alternative jobs in, or bring them to, the midlands? We have to find a solution. Part of the reason Donald Trump was elected in the United States is that the approach taken here of lecturing people was taken there and many in the coal mining regions said "stop" and voted for Donald Trump. We need to acknowledge the social implications of what we are proposing and how to nuance these issues to bring people with us. It is not a case of not going down this road because we have to and we have to do it quickly.

Microgeneration is crucially important and many Senators raised it in respect of solar farms. Senator Lombard mentioned the planning regulations. They need to be put in place. I acknowledge the point made about Sliabh Bawn and my view of that project is in the Official Report of the Dáil and of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, that we must put the regulations and standards in place and work to those. Senator Leyden spoke about solar energy in schools. He is right and we are considering it but part of the difficulty is that they need access to the grid because the use of electricity in schools at the appropriate times does not warrant the investment in terms of the payback. We need a grid that allows microgeneration onto the local grid in order that the local shop, post office or other houses in the community can avail of it.

As an aside, in respect of An Post, we must either consider increasing the cost of the postage stamp or reducing the postal delivery service. There will be a full debate on this. People who push for maintaining the existing price of the stamp need to be able to justify and explain to communities throughout the country why the postal service will be reduced from five days to four or three days or maybe no service at all.

Senator McDowell spoke about emissions going up. He is right and the trend is wrong. He criticised the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, report came out after the presentation was made to the committee. I did not see that report until it was published. The officials did not see it in advance. We do not have access to that. The EPA is independent. An advisory council has been appointed to the EPA. The Senators will get an idea of my thinking if they look at its membership. It is made up of environmentalists, farmers, young people and a majority of women because they are the key groups who will drive the change in our communities. They are the ones I want to work with to change the agenda and the focus of the debate. Let us all start working together.

Senator Ruane mentioned divestment, which is a valid issue and the Department of Finance is examining it. This is not her Government, it is our Government and more than any other it is the Parliament's Government. It is dictated by Parliament. Let us all work together.I look forward to the input of all Senators on that. Hopefully, we can have a broader debate and I will have the opportunity to respond to every issue raised by them. I thank them for their time.