Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is important to point out that many of these measures, including this one and the retrofitting measures, are all paid for from carbon tax revenue. When I hear the narrative about the hike in the fuel prices, it is often blamed on carbon tax, but we must be honest with people. That is not the case. A very small percentage of that is carbon tax. It is required to ensure we use a carrot to ensure we shift people into thinking a different way. For instance, only 2.5 cent of the 35 cent increase on a litre of motor fuel is accounted for by the carbon tax. The most responsible thing to do is to be honest about it to ensure we continue to address the climate crisis but also address, in a substantial way, and this Bill is a part of that, the cost-of-living crisis. Those two elements can go hand in hand, which is what we have seen with the national retrofitting plan and the increase in the fuel allowance. Is it not enough? It is not because there is an international crisis. We are reliant on a fossil fuel industry and on prices from other countries. Therefore, we must increasingly invest in retrofitting and renewable energy. Currently, wind energy accounts for 40% of our renewable energy and we need to reach the target 80% in eight years. That will take investment but also people in local authorities, the national Government and national parties supporting us all in order that we can all move forward together.

Many of us were at the lunch with Mary Robinson earlier and her big message was that the Seanad should be used to substantially address the issue of climate and to make it real for people. These are measures that make it real for people. Let us not play politics with it. Let us all get on board with being honest about what carbon tax means and what measures are in this Bill, that they are a small part of what is required but that we are trying to do something positive.