Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be taking a slightly a different tone from that taken by the previous speaker in that I am excited to be in the Seanad as a member of the Oireachtas and of a Government party that is bringing through the climate Bill. It is an exciting moment. It is a game changer and a pivotal point for Ireland as we continue on our climate action journey. I listened with intent in particular to Senators Pauline O'Reilly and Garvey. What Senator Garvey said really struck me. She referred to the green schools programme. In recent years I have certainly been very much educated by younger people on this issue, having visited schools and seen their enthusiasm and the effort they put in to reusing, recycling, educating themselves and having a biodiversity garden and spaces. It has been phenomenal to see the impact on the younger generation. When they get to our age and older, that will be the norm. It will not be a big change or ask; it will be what they will do. We will be protecting the environment and the planet for the generations coming after us and, as Senator Higgins said, the most vulnerable in other parts of the world who are already very much feeling the impact of climate change.

I want to specifically address a few aspects of the Bill. I am happy the Climate Change Advisory Council will be strengthened. We need only consider the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the strength and influence its reporting has particularly for Opposition parties which hold the Government to account, as I can certainly attest to in the previous Dáil term. The Climate Change Advisory Council having greater powers and a greater diversity of membership will help to hold not only this Governments but future Governments to account. That is important. It is also important to have that independent body doing that significant work.

We must acknowledge the emissions reductions we are aiming for are substantial. They will be challenging. Speaking as somebody from a rural community, I know they will be difficult for rural communities. That is why it is important we have a just transition and support communities in making those changes. We must have an adequately and fully funded home retrofit programme and support farming communities to do what they are already doing in protecting the land, and at the core of it they are producing food. They are part of our agricultural sector, which is our largest sector. It is important they will be supported financially to make those changes, that nobody will be left poorer as a result of it and that nobody will be left behind.

We focus a good deal on agriculture but I would also mention transport. This Minister might have seen a good and conflicting report in The Irish Timeson the western rail corridor that directly contradicts the work carried by Ernst and Young-DKM on that corridor.I ask the Minister to consider seriously the findings of the new report, which really show that the cost of the project and the travel time is very different to that suggested by EY-DKM. With climate change and wanting to provide people with the opportunity to get out of their cars and use public transport, I ask the Minister not to leave the west of Ireland behind. There is already a massive deficit in public transport in the west and north west. I suggest that there might be a slight bias on the part of the Department in providing that infrastructure. I have run out of time and will now hand over to Senator Gallagher.