Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, well and a speedy recovery from Covid.

I have two specific questions for the Leader, which I will follow with one point. When will the gambling control Bill be before the Oireachtas? Are there any answers to my questions on the need to deal with the waiting lists affecting child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS? I would like those questions addressed.

I have two practical solutions to propose in the context of dealing with climate change. First, given the threat to energy supply, there should be community wind turbines looking after every community and feeding energy into the grid and sometimes making money for them. This could be based on the co-operative model that worked and developed Ireland at the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century. It should be done immediately. It can be done and should be done in every community. A wind turbine should be put in each community for that community. That is the first point on which I would like the Leader to follow up.

Second, a small section of each farm in the country could be planted rather than having an ambitious plan to plant whole tracts. A few acres of each farm could be planted. This could be incentivised. Most farms, certainly in the part of the world I come from, have a few non-arable acres, a few difficult acres or a few acres in a bad place. These could be planted. They would comprise a carbon sink.

I had better observe good timekeeping because I will assume the Chair and cannot ask others to do what I do not do myself.