Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State very much. It is quite an historic day. When I rang around all of the different groups, including the Civil Engagement Group which cannot be here today, they were all supportive of the Bill. This can be contrasted with some of the behaviour in the Dáil, which is not quite the same when it comes to climate change. It is really important that we put that on the record. Senator Mullen is correct; it is our job to point out what may be deficiencies in Bills and to bring forward amendments on Committee State. We should take that on board.However, it is important to remember that although Senators raised certain issues, they have all said they are absolutely behind the Bill. It should be noted on the record that there is nothing wrong with amending regulations through primary legislation. Senator Martin stated that is what this Bill is doing. It is looking at the regulations because that is what we, as Senators, can do.

It is also our job to put pressure, with all due respect, on the Department of the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. I know he appreciates that and is behind us in that regard. I am delighted that the work is ongoing, but the Bill is before the House and will make its way through the Oireachtas. As many Senators have stated, this is an urgent issue and we have to use everything in our arsenal to address it.

The Bill is actually about catching up with the kids. Senator Garvey mentioned that children are coming to us and telling us that this is what needs to happen and we should just do it. One has to try to explain to them that the law says this, that and the other. Many of the Senators who contributed, including Senators Seery Kearney and Moynihan, stated that they did not know previously that there is a restriction in terms of the requirement for planning permission. Why would anybody think that one would need that kind of level of planning permission for a school, of all things? As I mentioned, some schools have reported paying €3,500 for architectural drawings just to get solar panels up. That is not required for domestic properties. That is where the difference lies and it is why it is important to put these kinds of things on the record.

Some people have asked what the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 is about. To some, it all seems so cerebral and long term but, actually, this is what it is about. Climate action is about the things we do in schools in order to make it easier to get climate action across the board. With all respect to Senators who have spoken today and previously on this issue, there is a tendency for some of them to engage in a bit of whataboutery when it comes to climate action. They say that whatever little thing one is doing is grand, but ask what is being doing for the rest of the planet or what we are doing in terms of climate justice outside Ireland. We are doing that too but we need to address this issue as well. Children are among the most vulnerable because they are the ones who will be left with the legacy of this planet, so it is not correct to say that others, including other adults, across the planet are more vulnerable. We do not know that will necessarily be the case.

We know that what we can do, as Senators, is to bring forward the Bill and I am delighted that we have done so today. I am delighted with the support we have received in that regard. It will put pressure on the Department of the Minister of State. I refer once again to the work that has been done by Friends of the Earth Ireland and all of the students and green committees across Ireland who are looking at ways to improve their schools. Some of them have come up with this bright idea to put solar panels in place, only to find themselves hamstrung at every turn. We, as elected representatives, are here to make sure that does not happen and that we remove all of the financial and all other barriers. I appreciate the support of all present. I thank the Minister of State. All of the Green Party Senators are committed to doing all we can in future to support him in any way he needs to ensure the Bill gets over the line.