Mr. Ciar?n Cuffe:

At the coalface I was humming that tune that the answer is blowing in the wind. The future is renewables and energy efficiency. I meet with my colleagues from around the European Union. I have a frenemy from Romania who tells me I put 50,000 coal miners out of work. I say I do not think I did it, but many of those workers are working in meaningful, cleaner, greener jobs now. He agrees. This change is happening around Europe and is a positive story.

Senator Horkan mentioned offshore wind, which will be a huge part of Ireland's future. That is why my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, had seven energy ministers in Dún Laoghaire last Monday talking about ramping up ocean energy. It is happening. We need more interconnectors, not just the France-Ireland one. We need one to Spain or Portugal because the wind is always blowing somewhere in Europe. If we can get electricity from where wind is blowing to where it is needed, we are bringing up the amount of renewables. Long-distance interconnectors and the European super grid are helping us get to where we need to be. We need bidirectional charging in electric vehicles. I am working on that in the energy performance of buildings directive. The homes we live in will provide the power for our cars.

Senator Seery Kearney asked what was happening with the European Green Deal. It is still there, as Mr. Andrews said, and has been amplified because we now have the REPowerEU initiative, which is about getting alternatives to Russian gas in the short term from Qatar and places like that and, in the medium to long term, ramping up photovoltaics on our roofs, the use of heat pumps, which have become a household phrase which was not there before, and putting in place the social climate fund, which will protect the vulnerable in the months and years ahead.

Senator Boylan spoke on the Energy Charter Treaty. It is a dinosaur. We know that, and there is a meteor coming over the horizon called climate change. If the treaty does not respond to that, it will die like the dinosaurs. We need to tackle that. I have not looked at the minutiae of what is proposed. Many treaties governing the work we do in Europe are not fit for purpose when it comes to climate action and a just transition. Fossil fuels have had their day. If they had their way, they would burn the planet alive. We as legislators have to fight against the lobbying that occurs every day of the week from oil and gas interests active in the corridors of the European Union. During Covid, we had a blissful year and a half where the lobbyists were not allowed into the building. Now they are back and it is as bad as ever.

On Aarhus, we have to retain the right to information and to appeal.

To Senator Sherlock, the minimum wage directive passed the Parliament and is down to trilogues. It is hoped good things will happen.

Senator Ruane referred to migration. We need to reform Frontex. It is not fit for purpose, whatever about other instruments. The pushback and money going to the Libyan coastguard have to be considered.

To Senator Clonan, we have seen nuclear power being weaponised at a time of war, which raises serious questions about that technology.