Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in welcoming the Minister, Deputy Bruton, to the House. He is bringing the same commitment and competence to this role as he did to transforming our unemployment figures. He brought about effective full employment over a couple of years in a similar planned way.I am confident the same will happen in this case.

A few aspects are clear. As noted by my colleague, Senator Lombard, the science is no longer questioned. There is a general societal acceptance that something has to be done. Everything has been aided by some noticeable weather events in recent years that have given it a reality. There is a general acceptance and buy-in, which is a good place in which to be. There was also the recent climate action plan, to which the Minister, the committee and the Citizens' Assembly contributed. I will address some of the specifics because it will be helpful to the Minister to get a sense of what we think. There is no logic in going back over what is fully accepted in respect of science and ambition.

On electric vehicles, I take Senator Higgins's point that the ideal is to work primarily on public transport, although I have no doubt that will happen, as it should. The increase in the use of electric vehicles is part of the strategy and I am happy there is an additional allocation in the budget for that. I refer, in particular, to charging points because they are a bone of contention. I have advocated on a few occasions in public places that there is a logic in seeking, perhaps in next year's budget or in the interim, the introduction of a special incentive for first-time drivers to buy an electric car. If they did so, it would give them ownership of the climate action agenda and a feeling that they are part of change. If they drove an electric car as their first car, it is highly probable they would continue to use one. I commend such a measure to the Minister because it is logical in a number of ways.

I am delighted that there is an allocation to upgrade 24,000 homes and businesses, which is progressive, as well as large groups of houses. I am happy with that proposal. There is great potential in covering a number of houses as a group, and in examining interesting payback models over time. Given the economies of scale and other factors, doing a swathe of houses or an estate is very logical in the case of social housing and, if it can be done, the private sector. There is certainly a strong case for continuing with the process of retrofitting.

Solar panels are interesting. My neighbour, who is a farmer as well as a private homeowner, recently installed them and anticipates that he will have paid for them in seven years. There will also be a saving in his fuel bill. It would be interesting to see the up-to-date figures on the use of solar panels, whose support is important. The Minister is committed to harnessing Ireland's ocean resources. It is believed that we have great potential in that regard and it would be interesting if he elaborated on it in his final remarks. While I may not hear them, I will read them later and would be interested to hear his response on the potential of wave power.

Energy poverty is a big issue, which is why it is important to retrofit and channel money into helping people for whom it will be difficult to get their house in order. With that in mind, it is good that €2 per week is added to the fuel allowance scheme. Contrary to some people, including our good friend Professor John FitzGerald, I believe that it is better that we started with a €6 per tonne increase in carbon tax. It is better to be incremental in order that people will come with us. Coming from a rural constituency, I know that greater increases would lead to a nightmare scenario, given the absence of public transport and because in many cases a car, often diesel fuelled, is the only mode of transport to work for people in low-paid jobs. It is unthinkable that such people would be put at a severe disadvantage. There needs to be a culture change, which will happen over time, in order that greater increases can become a realistic possibility.

Although it may not be as common in County Meath, where the Minister originally comes from, where I come from, as well as in the west and most of Ireland, there are non-arable pockets on every farm. They have no great viability for anything. I ask the Minister to collaborate with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who has raised the issue previously, to consider how we could incentivise farmers to plant the 8 acres or 10 acres of non-arable land on most farms. When I was a child growing up in rural Ireland, there was always a curtain or canvas of trees around houses. People in those days planted trees around houses for shelter, heating and whatever and they were a regular feature. There should be more small-scale planting of trees. While there is reasonable societal objection to large plantations and there are issues in that regard, as the Minister will be aware, there is no issue with having small amounts on every farm. I commend that to the Minister because it needs to be considered.

Microgeneration is so important. I would like the Minister to consider co-operative microgeneration, such as a wind turbine in a community with buy-in from the community. It would have the advantage of providing energy for the community, perhaps with some surplus that could be sold for income. Everyone with a microgenerator could feed into the grid and be paid.

They are some of the practical issues, which are most helpful in this case. There is no point in restating our commitment to the project.