Ivana Bacik
Dublin Bay South · Labour Party · Ireland
“Just today I and other local representatives got an email from the owner of two restaurants in Dublin city centre about this issue. The Minister of State’s brief includes not only the circular economy but also small business.”
“The Bill Deputy Sherlock and the Labour Party are proposing is not one we suggest is a silver bullet or a panacea but it offers one small, constructive mechanism to address the dysfunction in waste services.”
“In Dublin Bay South we have superb Tidy Towns organisations that I am proud to work with from Ringsend and Sandymount across to Portobello in my area to Rathgar, Rathmines, Terenure, Donnybrook and Ballsbridge. We see really important work being done by Tidy Towns organisations.”
“The owner says he no longer has space to accommodate additional recycling bins, cannot leave recyclable waste out for collection and cannot leave flattened cardboard outside for collection. Private waste companies must send a vehicle to collect this directly from premises. This is costly, inefficient and unnecessary.”
“I do not mean just in Dublin, though Deputy Sherlock and I are focusing on Dublin and most of the TDs present are Dublin ones, as clearly this has ramifications across the country and the dissatisfaction and the concerns Deputy Sherlock’s constituents and mine are expressing are ones felt across the board.”
“We want to see a move, as Deputy Sherlock has it in the Bill, from competition in the market to competition for the market and this Bill would represent an important positive step on that journey to quality public services provided by the State and to remunicipalisation. Deputy Sherlock has set out the detailed provisions in the Bill.”
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“There are massive delays in children seeking assessments of need. There are failures to provide school places for children with additional needs. There is a glaring absence of climate policies. It is our constitutional duty to represent our communities and hold the Government to account. That is why it matters when we see the Government's continued attempts to create a sham Opposition, a contrivance purely to placate the Lowry lobby.”
“Article 28.4.1° of our Constitution provides that: "The Government shall be responsible to Dáil Éireann." That is why our Standing Orders provide for Leaders' Questions. It is the set-piece exchange every week where we in opposition, as Opposition leaders, get to hold the Taoiseach and the Government to account. It matters for our communities that the lines are clear in a democracy and that we can assign responsibility when things go wrong. Since we took our seats in this Dáil, we sought accountability from the Taoiseach on many issues. For example, statements he and his Ministers made during the general election campaign, when they exaggerated how many houses would be built. We must hold the Government to account on those claims, and on so much more, on behalf of the people we represent.”
“Bombs are raining down in a genocidal bombardment on children in Gaza. The people of Ukraine are fighting for their country. Democracy is under threat across the globe - in Belarus, Hungary and Turkey. We see grim new milestones for global warming. The housing crisis is deepening here at home. Fears are growing about the impact of Trump's tariffs. These are the pressing issues that deserve all our attention. Instead, the Government insists on continuing to push through this proposed amendment to Standing Orders, which is a desperate distraction. The Taoiseach seeks to confuse the issue. He talks about speaking rights, but we all know what is at issue here. This is a simple matter. You cannot be in government and in opposition at the same time.”
“We must abolish cruel policies like the means test and we must implement the policies and measures set out so clearly and comprehensively in this motion that will ensure that our young carers get the supports they need, and that their families and those who need care within their families are also adequately supported by the State. We owe it to the young people like Noah, Sarah Ann, Benjamin, Conor and Lucy from who we heard today.”
“Caring can be fun sometimes but sometimes I just want to do normal things that families do." These are powerful testimonies. I have powerful testimonies from those who see their friends who are young carers who cannot continue on to higher education because of their care roles and responsibilities. These are the real experiences of young carers in Ireland, 67,000 of whom are giving daily supports to the State and to their families. The State cannot apply a financial penalty to young carers. It cannot see them continue to sacrifice education, job prospects or mental health in pursuit of their caring responsibilities. We must support young carers.”
“We have heard from so many young carers who have spoken so powerfully about their experience, not just today in the audiovisual room but from young carers who have contacted us over recent days in light of the motion we are bringing forward. One young boy of 11, Noah, asked me to speak about his worries for his younger sister, Willow, who has cerebral palsy. He told me how hard it can be when she becomes unwell. He is very proud of his sister, but he is very worried for his future and for her future when his mum grows older, and he will assume even more caring responsibilities. Another young man told me about the supports he provides for his autistic brother. He said, "I don’t have friends over as my brother doesn’t like people but that’s okay, I understand. It can be hard.”
“They are less likely to be able to take up places in further or higher education. They are less financially empowered. Government policy has failed to understand and recognise the stress placed on young carers and as a result, they feel forgotten and it is harder for them to cope. We need to recognise today the immense contribution made by young carers to society. As Deputy Wall said, we need to ensure that we shine a light on the work they do and that Government policies offer them sufficient support so they can fulfil their true life potential, as can those family members for whom they are providing care.”
“Those positive feelings of love and those positive feelings around the desire to see dignity for the sibling or family member who requires care shone through from the testimonies of the young people we heard from. However, the problem is that when the State is outsourcing supports and not providing sufficient supports to young carers then caregiving does become physically, emotionally and financially draining. The young carers we heard from spoke about the stress caused for them and their families because there are not sufficient supports in place from the State. There are very specific impacts from the dereliction of duty. Deputy Wall set out the profile of young adult carers as established by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI. They are receiving lower leaving certificate grades.”
“I am proud to second the motion. I commend my colleague, Deputy Wall, on bringing forward this important motion. I commend and pay tribute to the work of Family Carers Ireland and, in particular, to the work of all the young people engaged in providing care. As Deputy Wall said, we heard today so many powerful testimonies from young people who themselves are providing care to siblings and family members. These are carers like Lucy, Conor, Benjamin and Sarah Ann who were so eloquent and yet so honest about the impact caring has had on them and their families. They were all very clear that they do not see their caring role as in any way burdensome. They do this for love, and there is nothing burdensome about loving a family member.”
“I welcome the Tánaiste's offer of a briefing, and Monday would be very good. It is really important that we get information from Government on the likely scenario planning and the prospect of the damage the tariffs are likely to impose. Finally, I welcome assurances I have received from senior figures in US multinationals here that they are committed to staying, and retaining their workforce, in Ireland. That is really important and should also be put on the record.”
“I welcome the Tánaiste's words on the occupied territories Bill. There is a sense, however, that the Government is rowing back on the Bill and seeking to dilute it in some way. It was published some time ago. Indeed, we supported Senator Black in the Seanad. I co-sponsored it with her when I was a Senator. It has achieved such cross-party support. I commend Senator Black and all those who have been pushing for it to be passed. However, we need to just get on with it and pass it. As Francesca Albanese told us this morning, it is really only a small step, but an important one nonetheless, to mark our enormous concern about what is happening in Gaza and what is happening to the people of Gaza and in the occupied Palestinian territories too. I would really look to push the Tánaiste further and get a timeline for that.”
“She spoke so powerfully about how we must stand up to, and exert pressure on, Israel and, in particular, how we must pass the occupied territories Bill in Ireland. Can we have a briefing for Opposition leaders on the threat of tariffs from Trump? Can we have an assurance from the Tánaiste and his Government that they will stand up to Trump and insist that we assert Irish values and pass the occupied territories Bill?”
“What we are seeing them engage in on the international stage is a sort of wrecking ball diplomacy, aligning themselves with the bullying regimes of Putin in Russia and Netanyahu in Israel. We must stand up to bullies. We cannot seek to appease them at the expense of our Irish values. There are concerning reports from US lobbyists that they received a commitment from Government to all but shelve the occupied territories Bill. That is of particular concern this week when we see the hideous carnage in Gaza with the resumption of Israel's genocidal bombardment. I also want to join in welcoming the UN rapporteur, Ms Francesca Albanese. I had the pleasure of listening to her briefing earlier.”
“I thanked him then, because as was done in the pandemic and with Brexit, there needs to be a flow of information to the Opposition. We hear that the Department of Finance has undertaken scenario planning on tariffs and that needs to be shared. Protecting our economy, our jobs and the people who work in those jobs requires that we work together. I ask, therefore, that the Tánaiste set a date for that first briefing. I also want to ask the Tánaiste about other aspects of Trump's policies and how we in Ireland can respond. Undoubtedly, Trump is a very tricky character, and his Vice President Vance and, indeed, crypto vice president Musk are really no better.”
“I am hearing already from constituents who fear they may lose their jobs and who are worried about the impact upon their families and being able to pay their rent or their mortgage. Amid this uncertainty, as we await the detail of Trump’s plans and, indeed, the EU's response, the Tánaiste must give what clarity he can to those who are living in fear. We know that approximately 7% of workers here are directly employed by US businesses, with many more indirectly employed. US companies pay nearly €7 billion in wages here and, of course, make an enormous contribution to corporation tax receipts, so we could not be more exposed in terms of jobs and our economy from the risk of tariffs. I raised this with the Tánaiste three weeks ago and he accepted my request to brief Opposition leaders on the potential impact of tariffs.”
“Almost every day US President Trump is finding new and yet more damaging ways to express his authoritarian style of politics. His policies have already impacted negatively on global measures to tackle the climate crisis. He has torn up the international rules-based order. He is intent on turning the clock back on federal regulation on healthcare, women's rights and equality measures. It is hard to believe that we are just two months into his presidency. What I want to raise with the Tánaiste today is how we in Ireland respond to US President Trump. First, on the impact of Trump's proposed tariffs, we are hearing that US pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland are already scenario planning for moving manufacturing to the US. Like all of us in this House, many people I represent are employed directly by US multinationals.”
“Is the Government going to take action on hate speech legislation, which was parked, shall we say, during the time of the last Government? In the context of the disturbing rise in antisemitism and hate speech worldwide, it would be useful to reconsider that. On 16 January, the Taoiseach announced Ireland’s endorsement of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism. It is acknowledged that there are concerns about aspects of that definition. Did the Taoiseach instead consider the 2021 Jerusalem declaration on antisemitism, which includes a better definition of antisemitism drafted to address some of the concerns with the wording, which linked criticism of Israel with antisemitism. It is important that we have the right to criticise the state involved in bombarding civilians.”
“I welcome the Taoiseach's recent attendance at the commemoration ceremony for the liberation of Auschwitz. It is particularly important as we see a rise in fascism and authoritarianism worldwide and a terrible rise in antisemitism. It is very important that the Taoiseach attended to represent Ireland. I always attend the commemoration in the Mansion House on national Holocaust memorial day and would urge parliamentarians on both sides of the House to do so. It is a powerful and moving event, which I attended this year on 26 January. I commend the Holocaust Education Ireland organisation that organises it. President Michael D. Higgins spoke at it and made a powerful, moving and sensitive speech. We in Labour condemn racism and antisemitism.”
“What can the Taoiseach say and do to stand up for LGBT rights with the Hungarian Prime Minister and to ensure that the EU holds firm, notwithstanding Orbán's position, in solidarity with the people of Ukraine? It is not just in Ukraine of course that we see democracy under threat. I recently attended a conference hosted by the Belarusian opposition. It was inspiring to hear Belarusian opposition leaders speaking out about the dictatorial regime of Lukashenko and the authoritarianism and suppression they face. Can we mark next Tuesday, 25 March? It is Belarus Freedom Day, and it is a day when democrats across Europe should stand in solidarity with the principles of democracy.”
“I note that the Taoiseach said the focus of the informal meeting of EU leaders was on security. Clearly, there is a huge threat to European democracy as we see increasing authoritarianism, both from Trump's Government in the US and much closer to home from the threat of Russia on Europe's borders and the threat of the Russian dictator, Putin, and his regime in particular. It is very positive to hear most European leaders standing in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. It is deeply concerning, of course, to see the approach taken by Hungary and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has repeatedly vetoed collective support at EU level for Ukraine. Hungary has taken increasingly authoritarian actions within its own borders. I note that the Hungarian Government has recently banned LGBT pride.”
“Our climate representative, Deputy Ciarán Ahern, has outlined his strong opposition and our party's opposition to this highly polluting power plant and to the importation of fracked gas. We call on the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to intervene to stop this going ahead and, instead, to develop State-backed offshore and renewable energy generation capacity. This is what we need. The Taoiseach spoke about the demonisation of data centres but looking at the proliferation of data centres, and the enormous usage of electricity constituted by data centres, which use more than 20% of our electricity, we have to take a more responsible approach to meeting our climate targets and to ensuring that climate policy really does run through all Government decisions, as the Taoiseach said it should.”
“The latest warning today from the World Meteorological Organization is stark. We know that human-induced climate change has reached new extremes and some consequences are, sadly, now irreversible. The Government is simply not being proactive enough to meet our essential targets for emission reductions. On "Morning Ireland" today, Peter Thorne, chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council, expressed frustration, stating he does not even know whether the Government is listening. Yesterday An Bord Pleanála granted permission to Shannon LNG for a commercial power plant in the Shannon estuary. This development flies in the face of any sensible or responsible climate policy aimed at addressing climate change.”
“Could the Taoiseach also use his time at the European Council this week to confirm to other European leaders the need to take stronger actions against Israel and to adopt stronger sanctions at European level, in particular to target Israeli-held assets and financial interests, to ensure that any power we can use within the EU and nationally is used to stop the slaughter in Gaza.”
“It is deeply distressing to see the resumption of Israel's brutal bombardment on the people of Gaza and horrific to hear Netanyahu describe Israeli airstrikes as "only the beginning". We have already seen horrific levels of deaths of civilians, including children, and what little hope was left for the population of Gaza seems to be gone, with barely any aid reaching civilians. Our moral obligation to act is stronger than ever. There are disturbing reports from Washington that the Taoiseach said the occupied territories Bill was no longer on the legislative calendar. Could he clarify his position on the Bill? Now is the time to act to express our collective horror at what is happening with Israel.”
“It is the Government that is seeking to change Standing Orders. The Ceann Comhairle ruled on the Lowry lads’ status to the effect that they are not a technical group in opposition. We in opposition are abiding by that ruling of the Ceann Comhairle. The Government is seeking to change it. It is looking to bring in changes to Standing Orders that we have not seen. Our Whips have not seen the detail of the changes to Standing Orders or sessional orders that the Government is proposing. Apparently, we are going to get that next week. Apparently, it will be pushed to a vote by the Government. In the meantime, committees cannot be formed because the Government is looking to change things. When will we see this wording that we are hearing so much about from the Government?”
“With respect, people will take with a large pinch of salt the Taoiseach's claim to be willing and open to taking up new ideas to deliver more homes more quickly. People see for themselves that homes are not being delivered by the Government, nor were they by the previous Government.”
“As he well knows, the Labour Party's proposal clearly set out in our manifesto was to scale up the existing Land Development Agency, which we have supported in opposition, in order to ensure the State could bear the risk of building upfront. What I am hearing from builders and developers throughout the country is they desperately need upfront financing and that the absence of that is what is causing the downward trend and the drop in momentum in the construction of apartments and houses. The Taoiseach says momentum is with him but it is not. I am looking at the Central Bank's report today. The wording in it is about downward momentum and a projected drop in completions because the financing is not there. The Labour Party is offering the Taoiseach a constructive proposal to develop a new financing model through a housing solidarity bond.”
“The Taoiseach spoke of propaganda but what we heard from his Government during the general election campaign was propaganda on housing that had no basis in fact. What we now need are new ideas and some urgency. Will the Taoiseach work with us in the Labour Party? We have constructive ideas. For example, our housing solidarity bond would redirect private investment into the building of homes using the money held on deposit in banks around the country. The Central Bank tells us the value of savings is higher than ever. Will the Taoiseach take on board new ideas that would actually enable us to build more homes more quickly and give our young people hope for the future?”
“Indeed, his party claimed that those policy objectives would be delivered on through what we now know to be the Government's failed Housing for All plan and through the Planning and Development Act, the most verbose missed opportunity in the history of the State. Under those initiatives things have got worse, not better. This Government and the previous one have been moving at a snail's pace on housing. It is more than a year since the Government accepted that our ambition for at least 50,000 new-build homes per year would be needed to house the population but still it is working towards old targets and not even meeting them. Indeed, in the general election campaign, the Taoiseach and his Ministers actively misled the public on the figures for housing completions. We now know this.”
“We all agree with that but what we are not seeing from his Government is any sign of the necessary urgency or ambition or any new ideas that would actually enable us to build more homes more quickly. In today's quarterly bulletin from the Central Bank the forecasts for housing completions are revised down again. The report calls on the Government to build at scale, implement modern methods of construction, incentivise use of available land to build homes and deliver public infrastructure and a more effective planning regime. We have heard these calls before from the Taoiseach's very own Housing Commission, apart from anywhere else.”
“We all thought these were causal factors of the housing crisis, but after watching the Taoiseach's bilateral press conference with US President Trump last week, we all were surprised to learn that, in fact, these systemic failures were not the root causes of the housing crisis. The spiralling rents, unaffordable house prices and, shamefully, rising record figures in homelessness are apparently because we are doing so well. “That’s a good problem, not a bad problem", in the words of President Trump. The Taoiseach might clarify if it is a view he shares because in reply, he said: "That’s a pretty good answer, Mr. President". I am sure that is not the response he would give the Irish people today. In fairness, I will acknowledge that he did go on to elaborate that we have to build more houses and we have to build them more quickly.”
“They say every day is a school day. While the Dáil rose last week, we all learned something new. We all thought we knew why we had a housing crisis in this country - the number one issue facing this country, as the Taoiseach just said. We thought we had a housing crisis because of the Government’s policies and flat refusal to restrict evictions and stop families falling into homelessness. We thought it was because of the Government's failure to raise building targets, weak enforcement measures to tackle vacancy and dereliction and its ill-conceived planning Act, apparently drafted for and by developers.”
“Will the Taoiseach reassure us that Government will provide sufficient resourcing to meet the real needs of those who are at risk of homelessness, who are receiving notices and who are desperate to see the tenant in situ scheme activated and that single people as well as families and others will be able to access the scheme?”
“Yesterday, the Department of housing announced it had allocated €265 million for housing acquisitions but it is unclear how much of that will support the tenant in situ scheme. We know from announcements that there are some restrictions on who can access the scheme. It seems priority is going to families, older people and disabled people. Single renters slip into homelessness at a higher rate than any other group and already the scheme is failing to address real need, even for those who apparently would have priority. It is increasingly difficult to prevent renters who receive an eviction notice from falling into homelessness because so many of us are finding gaps and flaws in the tenant in situ scheme, even where landlords want to help and even where individuals might be able to become a social tenant.”
“The SENO now says that parent must apply to mainstream schools despite having a diagnosis stating the child must have access to a special school place. These are the stories of desperately frustrated parents. We need to hear from the Government that there will be forward planning put in place to ensure there will be enough staff hired and enough places made available-----”
“I thank the Taoiseach for the response and saying so clearly that there is no freeze on SNAs. That is at odds with the experiences reported to us by principals. I would welcome a more detailed written response from the Taoiseach on that because we have been told there is a directive from the Department that amounts to an obstacle or blockage to the hiring by principals of the SNAs that are needed. We all accept demographic change, but there is clearly a lack of planning from the Department because we know the numbers of children born each year and should be able to plan ahead for need. That is what is frustrating parents. We heard from a parent in the midlands who has applied to 16 schools for their son, aged six, who should be going into senior infants in September but is still in preschool because there are no places available.”
“One school we know of has been refused a second special educational needs room, despite having a classroom lying empty, and the principal suspects it is because the Department does not want to pay for staff. Is there a de facto recruitment freeze on SNAs? If not, how can the Department justify delays and refusals? I again ask the Taoiseach when every child will have access to the school places and therapies they need.”
“Families need to hear from the Taoiseach how the Government will achieve access to places for their children come this September and, in particular, to reassure them that there will be enough staff in place to meet the level of need. Yesterday, my colleague, Deputy Eoghan Kenny, asked the Taoiseach whether the Department of Education had a recruitment freeze on special needs assistants, SNAs. We have received multiple reports indicating that this is the case. School principals have been informed that they cannot have an SNA sanctioned for their schools because it seems the Department has outlined that new SNA positions will not be filled until September at the earliest.”
“I would like to give the Taoiseach the opportunity today to say something more substantive on this because every year we hear these watery commitments. When the school year draws to a close, every year parents are left scrambling because there are no places for their precious children. A child's right to education is protected by the Constitution, but at least 118 children with additional needs have not received an offer of a school place anywhere this year. We know many more have had to take up inappropriate places or be bussed out of their communities because there is nowhere local to go. The Journal reports that 1,274 children were moved to reduced school days in the past school year. Of that group, more than 80% of primary school pupils had special educational needs.”
“We in Labour offer our full support and solidarity, as I know we all do, to those families in these situations. Securing a diagnosis through the public system for children takes years. Even achieving a diagnosis is no longer the answer it once was because access to therapies, the necessary treatments and school places is so difficult. Yesterday, I asked the Taoiseach how he would ensure that every child who needs a school place or therapy will have access to that. I asked when the 14,000 children now waiting for an assessment of need will be seen. In response, he said, "We are working to see if we can ensure places for children next September", which is not exactly a wrought iron guarantee.”
“I want to return to an issue I raised with the Taoiseach yesterday, namely, the crisis in special education. Last Friday, I joined a group of 50 parents, children and family members who had to resort to a 24-hour sleep-out in front of the Department of Education in Dublin in order to highlight the crisis they are experiencing. I heard harrowing stories of experiences from desperate parents who are frustrated and in despair at the battle they had on behalf of their children. One mother told me of a long waiting list to achieve an assessment of need for her three-year-old daughter. A grandmother told me about her daughter's battle to get a place in a special school for her son who is six years old. A march will take place in Cork city this weekend to protest at the same issue because this is a nationwide crisis.”
“I wish to return to the issue of the recruitment of special needs assistants raised with the Taoiseach by my colleague, Deputy Eoghan Kenny, earlier. Budget 2024 provided for an extra 1,216 SNAs in the current school year. Are all those SNAs in place? Will the increase of 1,600 SNAs announced in the budget for this year in fact take effect? We are all still hearing of children who have a place in a school but cannot get access to the additional support they need in class because not enough SNAs have been provided. Will the situation improve this coming September in that any child who needs access to an SNA will have one?”
“The Taoiseach has acknowledged the system is not delivering for children with additional needs who require particular provision in the school system. Indeed, I joined a group of over 50 parents, and some children and grandparents, who resorted to a 24-hour sleepout last Friday in front of the Department of Education. I heard some harrowing stories there from parents and grandparents, including some who live in my constituency. I am so well aware that even where their children are able to access a suitable school place, they often have to be bussed out of their community, from Dublin 4 out to Dublin 15, for example, because there is simply so little provision of local places. When will the Taoiseach be able to say that any child who needs a particular school place or particular therapies will get access to that?”
“Does the Taoiseach propose to row back on remote and flexible working arrangements for public servants? Will he confirm that any such move would be subject to consultation and agreement with trade unions? Finally, can the Taoiseach confirm when the action plan for collective bargaining will be published?”
“Work and job quality is one of the dimensions to the well-being framework. My party would have liked to see stronger commitments on workers' rights in the programme for Government. I want to raise a number of concerns around workers' rights with the Taoiseach. We introduced a Labour Party Bill to provide for reproductive healthcare leave for women experiencing early pregnancy loss in the workplace. The Second Reading of our Bill was delayed until 18 January this year to allow the Government to develop its own proposals. Can the Taoiseach advise what the position is now? There is no commitment on this in the programme for Government but the previous Minister, Roderic O'Gorman, had commissioned research from the Department of equality to see if there was an evidence base for proceeding with the legislation.”
“I raised with the Taoiseach last week my concern and that of my party about Government proposals to dismantle the triple lock. I emphasise again we in the Labour Party would oppose any attempt to dismantle or undermine the triple lock. Given President Trump's appalling attempts to humiliate Ukraine's President Zelenskyy, which we saw last Friday, it is all the more important now we stand in solidarity with Ukraine but also that we reaffirm our commitment to the international rules-based order, multilateralism and the principles of the United Nations that Trump seems intent on tearing up. With that in mind, I am concerned, when the Taoiseach says dismantling the triple lock will not compromise Irish neutrality, about what exactly he is proposing. We understand the legislation will replace the requirement for UN sanction with a test-----”
“If the Tánaiste was furious at that €120,000 spent on the scanner in the National Gallery, he will be incandescent about the €26 billion fine that the Government will face when we miss these targets in 2030. Given that, on the current trajectory, the Government is on course to miss climate targets, what will it change immediately to ensure we will meet our climate targets? Can he admit to this House that the Government will not be able to meet them?”
“I think we can agree on one thing: climate change is existential. The threat of climate change is clearly existential. Ach níl an Rialtas ag déanamh gach iarracht. The Government is not making every effort; clearly not. The trajectory of this Government is on course to miss climate targets, and to say otherwise flies in the face of the evidence that is being presented to the Taoiseach and all of us by these bodies. The whole thing is reminiscent of the Taoiseach's reliance on inflated home delivery targets during the general election. He cannot rely on a target that he knows he will not achieve. There must be an awareness of this across government.”
“It makes the climate Minister responsible for updating the annual climate action plan but the Minister has not published this year's new climate action plan. Despite the fact we are now in the third month of 2025, there is no Oireachtas climate committee. Therefore there is very little opportunity for accountability. The Taoiseach will not even facilitate the flow of information. It seems all reports of the climate action delivery board have been removed from the gov.ie website. It seems climate is not a priority for the Government, despite the Taoiseach’s protestations to the contrary, and it seems it is making no effort to meet the 2030 targets. I have one burning question: does the Taoiseach admit that the legally binding climate targets will not and cannot be met by his Government?”
“For example, only months after denying this would happen, the Government will now import dirty LNG into our country and it has abandoned, in its programme for Government, the spending ratio for active travel and public transport. The Government's programme will, instead, favour the building of "Roads, baby, roads", as Trump might say. Incredibly, the programme for Government makes no reference to the legally required carbon budgets or to sectoral emissions ceilings which might set a pathway for achieving net zero. We all know that Ireland's 2021 climate law sets a 2030 target for reducing emissions by 51%. Crucial to achieving that target and setting us on the right pathway are our three five-year carbon budgets. This process is very important and it envisages review by the Oireachtas on an ongoing basis.”