Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I wish to share time with Senator Black. I echo the words of Senator Humphreys that we must do more. I thank the Minister because Government time is being used to introduce this Bill. It is really important and it demonstrates action on the part of the Government. I thank Deputy Pringle for introducing the Bill and Trócaire and the students from Trinity College and around Ireland who have campaigned to recognise the impact of burning fossil fuels, which creates global warming and leads to climate change. The sooner we get on with this Bill and other legislation to help reduce our impact on climate as a nation, so we can become leaders in the area, the better.

This Bill is an important step. A recent United Nations report indicates we have a short 12 years to turn around this issue. Otherwise, we will see a catastrophic butterfly effect from climate change. We know three fifths of known fossil fuel resources can never be safely burned and if we do not take heed of the warnings, average global temperatures will exceed pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5° Celsius. All coal, gas and oil resources must stay in the ground, unburned, untouched and unused. We must turn to the types of energy that will not cause a global catastrophe. This Bill is a small step in that direction, dealing with divestment. It is very positive and I welcome it. I want to be part of a progressive Ireland and if we continue to be laggards in the area of climate change, we will be at nothing. Let us move the Bill through fast and bring every other Bill that we can on the issue into this Chamber and the Dáil so we can make Ireland a leader in dealing with climate change.