Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to congratulate the Minister on his appointment and welcome him to the Chamber. I broadly welcome the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020. It was legislation which featured regularly at the legislative meetings which I chaired in my previous role but was subject to continued delays and requirements for legal advice. I welcome the fact that it is finally before the Houses. As we have heard, the Bill puts the climate action fund on a statutory footing. The fund is one of four set up under the national development plan in 2018. I know the importance of designated funds with specific aims and objectives. When I was a Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development I put forward the idea for a fund that was to become the rural regeneration and development fund with the support of the Minister, Deputy Ring. For several years, there was no suitable fund to support and progress larger projects with the potential to transform communities and implement positive changes. The rural regeneration and development fund solved that problem, just as the climate action fund is an important part of the solution to the major challenges of climate change. As others have said, I would like to see it grow and develop over the years and form part of mainstream funding rather than being confined to levies.

The projects supported by €77 million under the first round of the climate action fund will be varied and will help our country to transition to a low-carbon future. The projects, which include the ESB electric vehicle charging infrastructure project, the Iarnród Éireann hybrid fleet project and the local authority public lighting energy-efficiency project, were all practical choices.

Cé go bhfáiltím roimh an mBille um an nGníomhaireacht Chúltaca Ola Náisiúnta (Leasú) agus um Sholáthar Seirbhísí Lárnacha Cisteáin 2020 go ginearálta, tá roinnt imní orm. Suas go deich mbliana ó shin, bhí ciste suntasach ag an nGníomhaireacht Chúltaca Ola Náisiúnta, suas le €440 milliún. Ós rud é go ndéanfar an ciste a mhaoiniú, is cúis imní é inmharthanacht an chiste agus muid ag bogadh ó úsáid táirgí ola.

Cúis imní eile dom ná tionchar cuid de na bearta gníomhaíochta aeráide eile ar theaghlaigh, ar chomhlachtaí agus ar phobail lasmuigh de Bhaile Átha Cliath agus na cathracha móra. Rachaidh bearta mar théamh ceantair agus iompar poiblí ar scála mór chun leas na cathracha. Tá níos lú roghanna dúinn sna bailte beaga, sráidbhailte agus pobail tuaithe.Ní mór dúinn a chinntiú go mbeidh na bearta gníomhaíochta aeráide leathan ionas go mbeidh gach teaghlach agus pobal inár dtír in ann leas a bhaint astu. Ní féidir pionóis a ghearradh ar theaghlaigh ná ar ghnólachtaí as leanúint ar aghaidh ag úsáid fhoinse breosla atá ann cheana féin le haghaidh fuinnimh agus iompair toisc nach bhfuil aon roghanna eile réidh ná forbartha i gceart.

Tá dóchas agam, áfach, gur féidir foinse fuinnimh in-athnuaite agus bearta eile a thabhairt isteach agus go n-éireoidh leo i bpobail tuaithe nó iargúlta. Is samplaí iontacha iad Oileán Árainn agus an chaoi ina mbaineann an pobal áitiúil an-úsáid as tionscnaimh mar an scéim phobail fuinnimh níos fearr.

I have a concern over the proposed Committee Stage amendment to section 15 removing the obligation to conduct a competitive project selection process. Instead, the Minister, or such other person as he or she may nominate, will be empowered to invite proposals to receive funding from the NORA fund. We need to be very careful in terms of transparency and fairness. I ask the Minister to clarify how the projects will be upheld with regard to the selection of projects and initiatives.

Section 15 requires the Minister to consult the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on the guidelines on the funding of projects. As my party's spokesperson on public expenditure and reform in the Seanad, I will be taking a keen interest in the selection of projects and the use of the NORA fund.

The programme for Government is rightly ambitious on climate action. The Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas need to lead in this area. I cannot emphasise enough the need to ensure that climate action measures are fair, realistic, viable and, above all, will help citizens and communities on our journey to a low-carbon economy and society.

On numerous occasions, I have highlighted the progressive increases in carbon tax and ring-fencing these for rural areas and public transport. If we are to reduce dependency on and usage of private cars, we need to provide alternatives for those rural communities. We need to provide extra bus routes and increase the frequency of services. Without that, as prices of petrol and diesel continue to increase, it will create a tension we do not want. We do not want to create a tension in rural communities which are dependent on private cars if we do not have an alternative in place. I recognise that challenge. As carbon tax increases in the future, we need to ensure part of that is ring-fenced for additional bus routes and increased frequency of service.