Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

By this weekend we expect the outcome of the COP26 negotiations, a profound set of words and commitments it is hoped will demonstrate that developed countries are taking this climate emergency seriously. Profound words are one thing but real action is another. I welcome the declarations the Irish Government has signed up to in recent days on aviation and car transport, but I also question why Ireland did not expressly add itself to a declaration signed last weekend on a just transition. That declaration was signed by Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Sweden along with other countries in the EU, the UK and the USA. We must ask why Ireland decided to hide under the umbrella of the EU and not add its name to that when it did to other declarations. If we are to understand anything about the scale and the challenge of combating global warming, we need to support those who are most vulnerable, least able to invest in changes to how they live and to their housing, transport and everything else, and whose jobs need to change.I would like to see the Government making a much clearer statement on a just transition. We have had foot-dragging on the establishment of the just transition commission. It was referred to in the climate action plan that was recently published. The Government must take the issue much more seriously.

Going back to putting the profound words into action, this week we had the publication of the draft transport strategy for the greater Dublin area. I am dismayed at the lack of ambition on getting people out of cars. There are a lot of fine words about cycling and walking. I agree that we must encourage people to do that, but we will not truly have safer streets and cleaner communities unless we invest in rail. The extension of the timelines for the metro in particular is simply not good enough. We have spent at least €219 million on the metro in recent years and we still have nothing to show for it. The Government is planning to reduce car use within the greater Dublin area from 52% to 42% over 35 years. That lack of ambition is simply not acceptable, and we must see more ambition on rail and getting people out of their cars sooner rather than later.