Barry Heneghan
Dublin Bay North · Independent · Ireland
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an bPáirtí an Lucht Oibre. This highlights what many families are experiencing right now. Many people have been in contact with me. Even today, I met parents who were under enormous pressure because of the cost of uniforms, books, transport and school activities.”
“I refer to the hundreds of vacant spaces over shops in Dublin, the capital city in which I grew up. I welcome the above-the-shop grant but could we re-examine it in terms of microcompanies or SMEs availing of that grant? It can be difficult for them to avail of the above-the-shop grant.”
“They deserve to know how that supplier was selected, whether public procurement guidance has been followed and why students cannot use an equivalent device that they may already own. Technology undoubtedly has an important role in education. I do not dispute that fact. I came through education while the technology was developing.”
“Anois sa choiste fuinnimh táimid ag caint faoi plug-in solar. In 2024 there was a consultation done by the Department in which Bord Gáis Energy said that plug-in solar systems should be mounted on roofs where possible and hardwired into a dedicated circuit.”
“That contradiction leaves parents and students whom I represent caught in a middle ground. On one hand, the Department is saying they are not mandatory and, on the other, schools are telling parents that they must purchase one. I understand that the Minister of State was in north Dublin.”
“My granny drank raw milk and she lived to 98. We need to look into alternative ways to have locally sourced food. In that regard, I will point to what is happening at EU level and how it ties into this.”
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“Bhí mé ag éisteacht le gach duine. Aontaím le go leor rudaí ach an rud nach dtuigim ná two weeks ago the Opposition was asking to collapse the Government where no financial measures could be passed and now it is asking for a mini-budget. We are in very unpredictable times and need to have a stable Government. How could any financial measures have been passed if the Government had collapsed as the Opposition wanted?”
“We have seen how some of the State contracts have gone overboard here with small projects. Think of a nuclear power plant and any small change that can happen. Hinkley Point was originally expected to be functional by 2025 and it is now expected to be closer to 2031. If we are serious about benefiting and being a leader in the EU, we need to benefit the Irish people with our offshore renewable energy, including wind.”
“We do not have the mechanics or nuclear physicists in our country, so we will have to externally source them. To bring the economics of the UK comparably to a decentralised, more renewable-focused grid, Ireland would be better positioned now than if we go down the nuclear route. I am not completely against nuclear. I understand the efficiencies but as a short-term effect, it is not ideal. As a long-term solution down the road, when small modular reactor systems get more developed and are used at a higher rate, we will possibly have a cheaper option. Hinkley Point was approved in 2016. The estimated cost was £18 billion. The latest estimated cost is £31 billion to £34 billion, and it is at the higher point now. It is actually even higher when we take into account inflation. That is the UK Government.”
“Currently, one of the only alternatives to Cork that can build these giant structures for offshore renewable energy, ORE, is Belfast. We need to have the guidance of the EU and our European counterparts in Norway who rolled out the system and have a more energy independent state. If we can reduce energy costs and grid capacity, we will help the Irish people and reach our climate targets or close to them. The solutions are available today and they are used across the EU. This will reduce electricity bills. I also hear talk about nuclear power. Look at the UK and what happened with Hinkley Point C. The UK has a lot more resources than our State. When I was doing engineering, we did a small module on nuclear energy and we learned about the basic workings of it.”
“We need to be serious about energy independence because otherwise, our Government can be dictated to by foreign wars as it is at the moment. We saw a 23% rise in the cost of liquefied natural gas, LNG, in 24 hours. For energy security reasons, the Government is considering an LNG terminal. For energy security reasons, we need to decentralise our grid and have the alternative solutions in place. People should be allowed to have plug-in solar battery systems rolled out faster. Air-to-air heat pumps should be allowed. Solar meitheal projects should be brought in across social housing and we should benefit our country with what we already generate from offshore renewable energy. It is ridiculous that we cannot invest in ports at the moment. There was a loophole where we got €90 million into the Port of Cork.”
“One of the things I would love us to take from some of our EU counterparts and the UK, which have left the EU, is their energy policies on private wires and plug-in solar. The EU should make it easier for member states to roll out these systems. Ireland knows better than most that targets are being set relating to strategies, working groups and clearing houses. We are continuously discussing this at the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy. Action is what we need. We are generating enough renewable energy and it is being turned off. Many studies show that the use of battery energy storage systems, BESS, gravity storage and any long duration energy storage, in conjunction with private wires or the national grid, if it is being done fast enough, will help the Irish people.”
“Bhí mé ag éisteacht le gach duine agus mé i m’oifig ansin. Aontaím le go leor rudaí ráite, go háirithe faoin gcaidreamh idir an tAontas Eorpach agus Iosrael. I mentioned it earlier in the House. Níl sé maith go leor nach bhfuilimid ag déanamh ár ndícheall le haghaidh sanctions agus the OTB. I welcome that the Minister said that she has consulted with the Attorney General. I urge that this be done urgently. Europe Day is a moment to reflect not just on what the European Union is, but what it can be. I welcome Deputy Ó Murchú's acknowledgement of how the EU did help with peace and how it will hopefully continue in the future. We have benefited enormously. I have been speaking to some of my senior constituents about times gone by and how times were a lot different. We have better infrastructure and better economic development.”
“I have seen how they brutally treat people who are trying to bring food and aid to a starving population under genocide. How are they able to have impunity in the EU? We need to act and bring in sanctions.”
“My constituents saved up, bought houses and are paying the property tax. What proportion of that directly affects them? Regarding the lifting of the passenger cap, the programme for Government clearly stated it should be as soon as possible, so that needs to be addressed. Regarding the 2024 plug-in solar, I know I have raised a lot of issues, so I hope the Minister's officials are watching and will get back to me. I believe this needs to be addressed. When I wrote this speech, I was under the impression the Tánaiste would be here but since the Minister here, I would like an update on when the occupied territories Bill will be enacted and an update on what actions she has taken on the illegal abduction of Irish citizens on Global Sumud Flotilla. I was abducted by the IOF.”
“Dublin Bay North needs proper sports facilities and investment in Dublin Bay but we need the money to do that. What is the update on Dublin Airport's passenger cap? Is there an update on the removal of it? Will the Minister give an update on the 2024 consultation on plug-in solar? As legislators trying to decide whether plug-in solar should be allowed, the submissions from private and public entities should be given to us because I want to know who is stopping apartment dwellers from reducing their bills and what they are saying to the Department. Do they have vested interests? Plug-in solar is used in the UK and Germany. Let us get to work and give it to the Irish people.”
“We need to remove the cap because if we remove the cap, we increase the number of people who can come here. If we increase the number of people who can come here and if we give local councils the option of opting into a tourism tax, this would give councillors and councils more money to benefit the areas they represent. We need money and do not have an endless money tree. I was contacted by a constituent recently about Kilmore. We need to address the Stardust all-weather pitch. Money generated by the removal of the cap and a tourism tax could be used by Dublin City Council. From her previous role, the Minister will be very familiar with Gaelcholáiste Reachrann. There is so much that needs to be addressed and my support is based on my priorities being addressed.”
“We generate hundreds of millions annually and while distribution is needed in some cases, I would like a clear answer on how much is being given out. The delays in Dublin City Council projects, the conditions of some of the public places in the area I represent and the lack of basic amenities are not good enough. Yesterday, we debated the Oliver Bond flats and I believe this needs to be addressed immediately. I will suggest one of the ways we can get some funding for this. In the programme for Government, we committed to examining the Dublin Airport cap as soon as possible. However, I would like an announcement on what is being done there because from speaking to airport officials and from meeting Michael O'Leary last week, nothing being done in the Department.”
“Ever since entering this House, I have always made it clear that my politics are pragmatic and solution focused, and I will not say things that cannot be backed with real figures. I understand that money cannot grow on trees. I am a realist. I like to be inside the tent not on the outside throwing rocks and getting nothing done. I was an engineer before I came in here, so I have always been focused on solutions. One of the most frustrating things to me is that since negotiating the programme for Government, I have learned how the systems in the Dáil need to be changed. If we take Dublin, for example, it is the economic engine of the country. My constituents would like to know how much of our local property tax is going outside of Dublin.”
“I will send it over to the Minister of State's office. I can give cases of constituents with physical disabilities who have been refused collection by taxis. There are also taxi drivers who have built up records and submitted them to the NTA showing how many people with physical disabilities they collect but who then did not get the grant. I ask that when the next grant comes out for accessibility or renewal of the lift in the back of the taxi, taxi men and women with a proven record of doing the job the grant is given for are prioritised, rather than it being a lottery scheme. If that is already being done, will the Minister of State show me the steps? I will send him correspondence from the NTA stating it is not doing this currently.”
“This issue has been raised with me and my former colleagues on Dublin City Council, including Councillor Nial Ring and Councillor Kevin Breen, who are working with local residents. How many complaints have been received and penalties issued? Are drivers who received public money under the WAV scheme being held to account if they refuse passengers? It is not acceptable that we are giving money to drivers through a grant to make a vehicle accessible but they are not taking people with disabilities.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his engagement on the matter. I have constituents who are left waiting hours for wheelchair accessible taxis that will take them. In response to a parliamentary question I submitted last July, the NTA acknowledged what the Minister of State just said. It stated it was giving training for the safe use of lifts and clamping systems and that, since that January, the training had been provided free of charge. I welcome that but the most common excuse given to constituents who have contacted me is that drivers are saying they are unable to operate the lift. That does not stand up to scrutiny. All holders of wheelchair accessible licences have a statutory obligation to provide the service.”
“I welcome the huge investment in and development of private wires and look forward to the private wires system helping electrification and contributing to the solution to the issue Deputy Murphy raised regarding electrical infrastructure. The private wires Bill can reduce timelines for the installation of renewable projects and electric infrastructure. I come to my question on the WAV grant scheme. I have been contacted by people in my constituency who are wheelchair users and are being refused by taxis despite the fact the taxis have received grants for wheelchair accessibility.”
“There is real urgency here. I welcome the fact that the Minister is acknowledging that this is needed. The gap is not abstract and it is felt every single week by the people I represent and people across Ireland. The payment would be very meaningful and very well accepted. I look forward to working with the Department and the disability organisations on that. This does not relate to the Minister's Department, but last night, we saw Irish citizens from my constituency and some of my friends illegally abducted by the Israeli Government. I was part of a previous flotilla. Could that be brought to the Department of foreign affairs, as they were off the coast of Crete in international waters? I know that the Minister cannot act on this in his Department, but I need to highlight it on the floor of this House and do everything I can do.”
“In conjunction with batteries, this would help with electricity costs. We also need to be clear about eligibility. Those who are on disability payments, who are in employment or who are over 65 need to be prioritised.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Táim buíoch as an bhfreagra sin and the continued engagement with my office. I commend the staff in his office for their hard work as well as the Minister himself. What is absolutely clear is that the cost of disability must reflect the reality. In north Dublin in my constituency, we have the Irish Wheelchair Association, IWA, the Central Remedial Clinic, CRC, and multiple disability organisations. I have been speaking to them about the urgency needed, not just in the winter, but also with transport costs, infrastructure and electricity. I hope that the Government acts on plug-in solar, which will reduce the cost for apartment dwellers, particularly people with no access to rooftops but who could easily access a similar system with a low initial cost.”
“Tá mé ag lorg nuachta faoin infheistíocht do dhaoine faoi mhíchumas, go háirithe i mBaile Átha Cliath Thuaidh ach nationally chomh maith leis sin. I would appreciate if the Minister would give me a detailed timeline for the next step for recognising the associated costs for people with disabilities.”
“One of the things I will continue to push for is more investment in local family resource centres across north Dublin. The people in those centres are doing the work on the ground, they understand what cases involve and they are preventing certain things from happening. Families deserve privacy but they also deserve transparency and accountability. They also need to have confidence in the system. I trust the Minister and believe that he will examine this matter. Achieving a balance is possible. The other countries to which I refer are showing that this can be done. There are studies and data which show that it is beneficial. We must, as other Deputies mentioned, show political will and catch up.”
“Democracies cannot operate behind closed doors. A judicial system that operates largely behind closed doors will struggle to command full public confidence. Where there is no visibility, inconsistency, poor decision-making and a lack of resources can grow unchecked. It is the same with many of the matters we discuss. When members of the public cannot see exactly what we are doing in this House and do not understand the decisions we are making, that does not add to confidence among them and it creates mistrust. That is why I welcome many of the proceedings that have taken place and how much more open we have been in our State. We need stronger standards regarding and oversight of court-appointed experts and clearer training pathways for An Garda Síochána.”
“In fact, those studies found that the reforms have improved understanding and scrutiny of and confidence in the system. I welcome that the Minister is examining this, but sometimes, as with any aspect of Government, one of the biggest frustrations relates to speed. It is very easy for people to say "Just do it now", but there is a lot of backlog that will have to be gone through in order to ensure that it is done right. I ask that it be done as quickly as possible. I understand that the Minister wants it to be done right and does not want it to have to be revisited. I acknowledge and welcome that. I also welcome the phased implementation plan that is due to begin in 2027 and the commitment in the programme for Government to modernise family justice services and put children's welfare at the centre of proceedings.”
“I trust that the Department will take all aspects of this matter under consideration, particularly in relation to how the pilot scheme in Northern Ireland is going ahead. Wales and England have their own schemes. The 2025 review of the operation of the in camera rule confirmed that too many parents leave the family court feeling silenced, confused or powerless and do not understand why they are not legally allowed to talk about their cases. That cannot be healthy in any modern democracy or system of law. England and Wales have introduced controlled transparency, and, as mentioned, there is a pilot scheme in Northern Ireland that allows accredited journalists to observe and report on proceedings. Studies have shown that those reforms have not led to children being exposed.”
“Aontaím le go leor rudaí a bhí ráite sa Teach seo, go háirithe an méid a bhí le rá ag an Teachta Toole ag an deireadh faoi na príomhrudaí ag tús shaol na bpáistí sa tír seo. Is é sin t-am nuair is gá dúinn cabhair, infheistíocht agus rudaí mar sin a chur isteach le go bhféadfar cabhrú le daoine. Gabhaim míle buíochas leis an Teachta Gogarty for proposing the motion and giving us the opportunity to have this debate. When parents walk into a family court, many of them are often already at a very low point in their lives. They are dealing with separation, fear, stress and uncertainty about their children's future. I welcome the work the Department has done. I also welcome the commitments the Minister gave earlier.”
“If we buy less electricity from the grid, and it generates a source of renewable electricity, we will benefit Irish workers. I have heard other scaremongering. If we believe that the charge instructions need to be changed, the CRU has regulatory power to adjust the tariffs and standing charges in order to ensure fairness to consumers. We need to be honest about data centres in this Chamber. I did my thesis on data centres 18 months ago. I worked in the industry. All my friends who are now working in the industry are shocked by what they hear in this Chamber in relation to data centres. Yes, we need to change the current system of how they are used. We could use waste heat utilisation for district heating systems, but all the optimisations in the context of how data centres are using energy will help Irish workers.”
“With private wires legislation, we will increase the number of people who can work on renewable projects and increase the workforce, protecting workers. When people in the House criticise the private wires Bill, they need to answer to the electricians, the workers and everyone in Ireland who would benefit from the increase of taxation of companies that will be using renewable projects to expand their business. When businesses invest here, the Irish people benefit. I hear claims about how private wires somehow shifts costs onto ordinary households. If the company remains connected to the public grid, it still pays the same connection standing charge as many other users. We have seen recommendations on this to protect and support people and the workers of the State.”
“If we bought plug-in solar at a large scale and employed Irish workers to install it at a regulated setting and at a reduced rate for social and affordable houses, the people in my constituency who are struggling with their bills would benefit from it, as would the people who have trained to be electricians. It would create jobs and support workers. Many projects and connections that simply would not happen in a reasonable timeline would be helped by private wires. Many companies would prefer to get standard grid connections quickly but this is not the case. Multiple parliamentary questions I have submitted on the timeline delays for renewable projects show the need for private wires legislation.”
“This is why the private wires Bill, which has recommendations from the climate and energy committee, will boost Irish jobs, including machine operators, construction workers and apprentices throughout the country and in my constituency. Over the weekend I spoke to a group of young electricians who were doing their PV course and looking forward to the boost in income from solar farms and, working with the Government, from the upkeep of plug-in solar. I would love to see this rolled out across social and affordable housing, which does not have access to rooftops and could benefit from a Government-led plug-in solar scheme.”
“I welcome this debate on workers' rights. I said in the House 12 months ago that if we are serious about workers' rights, we also need to be serious about protecting industries, infrastructure and investment to create and secure skilled and well-paid jobs for Irish workers. In recent weeks I have heard constant attacks on the private wires Bill, which will boost renewable infrastructure in this country. Too often the debate is driven by fear instead of facts. The reality is that the Irish energy transition is not an energy transition but an energy demolition and rebuild. For this we need to support workers and enable the grid to be developed faster and give jobs to electricians, crane operators and welders.”
“Has the Government considered a more State-led approach, similar to the Norwegian model, in order that the Irish public will retain a long-term stake in infrastructure and wealth created from our natural resources as opposed to them being leased to private developers?”
“I have raised the issue of plug-in solar on many occasions. I would like an update on the terms and conditions relating to the south-west offshore wind auction, including in respect of the Li Ban development area. Has the Department examined whether the grid will be upgraded enough or whether the demand will be there? Right now, investor communities are not sure whether the grid is future-proofed enough and capable of handling the level of generation being planned. I welcome the private wires Bill development in decentralising the grid in this area. This will allow us to push for long duration energy storage, battery energy storage systems and stuff to contain and reduce curtailment.”
“The new school building for Gael Coláiste Reachrann in my constituency was moved to tender. Parents have been waiting 25 years for a permanent school building. We do not want any more broken promises in the sense that the school was told the project would move to construction in the second quarter of 2026 as previously indicated. Will the Tánaiste outline any risks to this timeline and provide a detailed update on the status go háirithe i mBaile Átha Cliath Thuaidh, áit a bhfuil daoine ag iarraidh Gaeilge a fhoghlaim? Caithfimid an infheistíocht a chur isteach san áit sin. Tá tuismitheoirí agus páistí ag iarraidh Gaeilge a fhoghlaim i bhfoirgnimh bhuan ach tá siad i prefabs atá fuar. They are leaking and they are cold. Can we get an update from the Tánaiste please?”
“I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has visited Remember Us. It is an exemplary example of what can be done. The increase in the budget for disability services was welcomed but fast-tracking personal assistance hours in these critical cases needs to be examined. Right now, these families feel like they are in the system. We need to move by making it planned for with centred supports. I welcome that the Minister of State has met parents at her request and at their request. I also acknowledge those who have contacted my office. Is there any timeline for delivering these kinds of co-ordinated supports for north Dublin and across Ireland? They are much needed. The data shows the northside has been neglected for too long.”
“I welcome the working day services, especially the service for north Dublin. It is much needed but the area needs more investment. We need more respite centres and we need to give parents and children with disabilities support. On the Before We Die campaign, the parents are in absolute fear. We must focus on solutions. I welcome the Minister of State's comment to other Deputies on giving consideration to cross-departmental plans for disability housing and health to specifically address these cases. Many parents have emailed my office. Bernadette, Caroline, Lynn, Candy, Tony, Susan, J.J., Mary and Helen all represent parents who are worried about what will happen to their children after they pass. I welcome that the Minister of State is working on this. I know it is one of here main priorities, as she said to other Deputies.”
“This issue has been raised and it is represented in a large part of my constituency. I speak of the Before We Die campaign. Its representatives were in the committee yesterday and I met the parents involved. I welcome the statement from the Minister of State in response to other Deputies who raised this matter today that it is being reviewed. I hope it will be examined. It is a very simple and profound issue. I understand, having spoken to the Minister of State, that she is going to work on it. This is about dignity and choice. Having spoken to the parents, they need and deserve to know before they die what will happen to their children.”
“He is a fantastic young man. Councillor Ali Field deserves for this case to be looked at. She has raised it through all of the TDs. She said: If it was my child, how would you feel? You should be ashamed doing this to a 12-year-old, vulnerable little boy. I would appreciate if the Department could look at that.”
“It is a new school but it was not built big enough and there are more houses going into that area, which I represent. They need modular additions and I would appreciate if the Department could clarify whether it has assessed the situation. I was speaking to one of the parents who is waiting for a school place. It is the case of James Field, who is currently without an appropriate special school place since September, despite the endless determination from his family. His mother, who was a councillor with me in the Clontarf Ward, has reached out to me. She said: If James has no appropriate space by September, the years of progress will turn to regress day by day. James does not have play dates or friends coming here. School is essential for James to learn the basic life skills and social skills. I have met James.”
“It has an exemplary example of how it should be done. It has hard-working staff. I would really appreciate if it could be reviewed.”
“I visited the students in the school again last week . They need this to be given to them. One of the students, Esmai, also asked for a pink castle, if the Minister of State could do this for her. He said the NCSE is reviewing it, but from speaking and listening to the principal, the NCSE is saying that the Department will not give the modular building, so there is miscommunication there. All five TDs in Dublin Bay North have brought this up. It is needed. All of the local TDs are pushing for it, as are local councillors. Other schools that are not asking for special classes or for modular buildings are being offered them but this school, which has a clear demand with data - 64 children are waiting in this area that I represent - to support the need for a modular building to be put in and they will be able to do it.”
“Inniu táim chun caint faoi scoil a mbím ag caint fúithi i gcónaí sa Teach seo, Stapolin Educate Together National School in my constituency of Dublin Bay North. I have raised it a number of times. It is a fantastic school with dedicated staff who are watching this at the moment. I had the pleasure of visiting it, as did the Minister of State earlier in the year. He saw how hard-working the staff members are and the exemplary example of the education they are providing for their students. The issue is that they need a special class. They do not have room and they need modular additions for that to happen.”
“I will support the Bill and if we get the balance right, we will improve public health but if we get it wrong, we need to look at clear examples of other countries where a black market opened and people were able to get it from other sides. I welcome this, I will engage constructively on it and I fully support its intent.”
“When it happens, the control the HSE would hope to maintain is through the licensed retailers, if we were to bring in strict regulations on menthol and tobacco, but I understand that if you bring in menthol, then you might be bringing in menthol-flavoured apple and there is a loophole there. I understand there are ways around it. We need to work together to protect young people in particular, and that is the main point of the Bill that I support. There is an idea among young people that vaping has no harm, when we can see complete studies of popcorn lung, multiple studies of people with lungs or half lungs collapsed developing at a young age, with vapes being found in their baggage at the age of 11.”
“In the same sense, if someone wants to get a flavour of menthol vape, they can or will find ways around it. Again, the bright double cherry or energy blast flavours are designed for children. Menthol and tobacco flavour could be used as a crutch for adults. It is also important, at the same time, to listen to all of the adults who contacted my office. They are real people and they are not trying to start a new habit; they are continuously maintaining and ending one. Many of them are worried and have told me that if this is brought in, they will go and get menthol flavour for themselves or worse, go back towards smoking. I welcome all the work that has gone into this Bill. I want to raise those concerns, particularly from my constituents.”
“It is well established and it knows how to get around legislation, just like the ever-evolving head shop debacle we had, where they could change molecules or make a single change in the chain of it to get ahead of legislation. I too have heard other Deputies ask whether they would be able to bring out non-nicotine vapes. How would that be brought in by the legislation? The concern is valid and parents are finding children as young as ten or 11 with vapes in their schoolbags. They are contacting me and pushing for this so I do think there should be a much harsher penalty for anyone found selling to anyone under the 18. It is important we are honest about the debate because as adults, people who, as I mentioned, cannot get menthol-flavoured tips in Ireland can go to the UK and get menthol-flavoured tips and bring them back.”
“There are adults who would like to have the option of menthol. I do agree that we should not be able to get a super sweet cherry cola vape but there are smokers who smoke menthol cigarettes who have told me that if they cannot get menthol flavour, they will go back to smoking menthol cigarettes. I know you cannot get the filters but you could easily go abroad and get some of the flavours. We have seen a rise in vaping, particularly in young people, and that is completely wrong. We need to get rid of the bright packaging, the sweet flavours and the aggressive marketing. This industry, the tobacco industry, is not one that has just been born.”
“I too welcome the opportunity to speak on this legislation. At its core, I believe the Bill is about something we can all agree on. It is protecting public health. From speaking to my constituents and knowing someone who has vaped, nicotine is addictive. It is very addictive and I do not think anyone should be able to walk into a shop when they are paying their bills and see a giant green package that says "double apple", "triple mango" or "Red Bull". It is just attracting children. That packaging was deliberately designed by a graphic designer to be as attractive as possible. The entire vape itself, the way it sits in your hand, was done that way. I do have questions. To seek clarification, is it specifically just tobacco, or will menthol be allowed as well? No menthol. A lot of constituents raised that with me.”
“Regarding another nature-based solution, in Dublin the Green Ocean Foundation has installed oyster farms across Dún Laoghaire and Howth. I hope the Government will consider expanding the scheme. Oysters are filter feeders and a single oyster can filter hundreds of litres of seawater a day. In doing so, they improve water quality on a local scale and help the cycle of nutrients. Oyster reefs are used in productive and shallow coastal habitats and can encourage biodiversity. We need to work in conjunction with nature for nature-based solutions, be it pollution or coastal erosion. When oyster beds clean water, they also encourage sea life, and that encourages a reef, which reduces coastal erosion.”
“Smart meters are helping and allow people to understand their usage more accurately through their smart phones with a direct link. The CRU has also made it clear that smart services require customer permission to access data, which is important for public trust. If used properly, smart meters can really help. The private wires Bill is being developed and will address barriers for EV uptake in Dublin. Many people do not have a driveway and live on terraced streets, apartments or homes. I will push for the Bill, one of the goals of which is to facilitate on-street parking. I would like to finish with bees. Ireland has 98 species.. Some 77% comprise solidarity, which nest in the ground. We have white tailed and buff tailed bumblebees, which are lovely insects. I look forward to working with Senator Murphy and Deputy Lawless.”