Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is very good news that the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, has signed off on 480,000 primary school children between the ages of five and 11 being vaccinated. This is extremely important because the key to this lies in vaccination. While most of these children would not become seriously ill, the problem with them getting Covid is that they bring it home and bring it to vulnerable adults and older relations. In some instances, they themselves would be vulnerable and in danger and of course, this also affects their teachers. It is a very important advance and the key lies in vaccination. It is important that Members welcome it. It is also important that we support all the other measures around hygiene, mask wearing etc. It is in responsible behaviour that we will solve this problem.

It would seem so far that while Storm Barra is doing significant damage, it is not of the awful proportions that might have been anticipated and that is good news. I welcome that yesterday in this Chamber the Tánaiste said that in the case of severe damage, where a business could not be covered by insurance for whatever reason, a good look would be taken at having it compensated. That is a very important piece of comfort and good news for people in that situation, and I welcome it. Talking of Storm Barra, neatly brings me on to the question of climate change. This was a remarkable year in that we set legal limits and targets, and there will be a carbon budget in each Department. This House should have a debate soon on the minutia, the practical solutions. I wish to offer three practical solutions. As with the co-operative model of old, we should have a wind turbine in each community. Communities should be urged to do it as it would provide their own energy supply which could be fed into the grid through which they might even make money for their communities. It would introduce them to the concept of the green agenda, climate change, etc., which is important.

First-time car purchasers should get a significant reduction in VRT if they buy electric. If they start with an electric car, they will buy into the concept and will never leave an electric car. They will also feel ownership of the climate change agenda.

Each farm in the country has a few non-arable acres not in use. That should be planted, as was the case with a little shelter belt which would be a carbon sink. We should incentivise farmers to do that as a priority. I commend those three recommendations to the House and in that context, I call for a debate on the minutia. As we have now set the targets, let us get on with doing it.