Mr. Barry Andrews:

You are keeping us on our toes. Senator Horkan referred to learning about the EU. I think Senators should come to the European Parliament and institution once a year. Some 70% of legislation affecting Ireland comes from the EU, while 90% of the drama comes from here. There is value to learning more about it.

Senator Seery Kearney asked what effect the energy crisis is having on the green deal. It is accelerating it. History might look back and thank Putin for what he has done because we are not going back. We are decarbonising and decoupling from Russian energy and we cannot go back. The social consequences are at the forefront of all our minds. Something like the gilets jaunes really influenced people's thinking There was a small, modest environmental levy and a massive public reaction. What happens when we start introducing an emissions trading system into road transport and start affecting people at the pump? That will trigger a massive reaction. We have to be careful.

Senator Boylan asked about the Energy Charter Treaty. The necessary reform is to end the protection of fossil fuel companies. That trigger, if it can be achieved, would take us out of the energy-----