Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank him for joining us today. We are in the grip of a global pandemic and are facing into Brexit. We have never been in more uncertain times. We need to ensure that the country is prepared and people are supported and, as we recover, that it will be a green recovery, putting our economy on a sustainable footing for future generations. While we support families through this difficult time and protect the most vulnerable, we also need to think about the kind of country we want to live in when we are through all of this. We need to ensure we seize the moment to prepare for a green recovery. This country has been most successful when we work hard to get ahead of international trends, invest in our young people and take on challenges. We can do that again.

It is difficult to sit here and listen to Sinn Féin pick holes in a budget, given that its alternative proposal would have increased current expenditure by €3.8 billion, much of it recurring annually. No importance was attached to the climate and biodiversity. In fact, the only mention of the climate and environment are in the title of a Department. There is no mention of a biodiversity crisis and no funding for retrofitting. There is only €25 million for walking and cycling, versus the €360 million committed to in our budget. The Green Party has sought a number of measures to deliver change to a carbon-neutral society because climate change is the existential threat facing us. It is also an economic threat as we move forward.

I was phoned earlier by local business owners in Galway who see opportunities for their businesses in the future in the funding announced. For retrofitting homes, there is close to €300 million to build warm, healthy and energy-efficient houses. The budget will deliver 9,500 social housing units and 400 cost-rental units, which are key to the Green Party's housing policy. There are 1,500 places on retrofitting courses, part of a package of 10,000 upskilling and reskilling opportunities. We also needed to change the way our businesses and farms operate in order that they can reduce their emissions and continue to operate. Helping people to work near where they live will be crucial to the green recovery. We are supporting the development of Wi-Fi hubs in our towns and villages. There is a new environmental scheme for farmers worth €20 million and an extension of tax relief for energy-efficient equipment for farmers.

Carbon tax is an essential part of preparing our economy for a carbon-neutral future. To achieve this, the Government commissioned the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, to outline the best way to use the money raised to reduce poverty. The Green Party insisted on the Government implementing the measures outlined in the ESRI report, which will improve the conditions of the lowest earning 30% of households. The ESRI described these measures as "unambiguously progressive" and the Government has gone even further with these social protection measures than the ESRI had suggested was needed. The measures include an increase in the qualified child allowance of €5 per child aged 12 and over and €2 for children under 12, an increase in the fuel allowance of €3.50 a week and an increase in the living alone allowance of €5 a week.

There has been much talk of disability services during the debate, which are targeted to help our most vulnerable. An increase of €100 is the largest ever, while there is the largest ever funding package for our health service. There is €9 billion for education, as has been mentioned, and class sizes will be reduced. The Irish National Teachers Organisation has welcomed all these measures. It is quite cynical for parties to suggest that more could have been achieved when their own submissions did not outline how that could be done.

I again thank the Minister for his attendance and look forward to working to implement all the measures in the budget.