-----make the point that west Cork is a paradise for anybody who lives there or has visited. I would encourage anyone to go there.

I am offended the Taoiseach did not start with me.

The climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis are intrinsically linked. The Taoiseach is well aware that we have a biodiversity crisis. Some 60% of our birds are on an endangered list. The condition of many of our marine and land habitats is worsening. Our record of upholding EU biodiversity and climate law has not been good and certainly needs to improve. The Citizens’ Assembly voted overwhelmingly, with 87% in favour, to insert protecting biodiversity into our Constitution. I want to get the Taoiseach’s thoughts…

It is not a sticking plaster.

We have an ambitious target to reduce our emissions by 51% by 2030. Some in the House believe we should abandon those targets but I firmly believe we should focus all our efforts on reaching those targets and reducing emissions by 51%. A key part of that will be renewables and a key part of them will be both offshore and onshore wind but the pace at which we are rolling out wind energy is too slow. Part of the reason for that is issues such as foreshore licences. A myriad of foreshore licences are stuck in the syst…

Then how does the Deputy know they are the biggest emitters?

Goal 4 refers to quality education and goal 10 refers to reducing inequalities. Both apply to a developing situation at Scoil Eoin in Innishannon, which I recently visited. It is a fantastic school with amazing staff. It has children with a whole range of intellectual disabilities and it is crying out for extra special needs assistants, SNAs. Not only is the school having an issue securing an extra SNA allocation, it is struggling to get the special educational needs organiser, SENO, to visit the school to see the …

Does the Minister anticipate further expenditure measures to address the increase in the cost of living?

I set up the Minister nicely to list the measures he has introduced. In fairness, there has been an incredible intervention. We have never seen anything like it in the State's history in terms of how we have tried to cushion the blow from the increase in the cost of living. The Minister mentioned the cost-of-living payment, the disability support grant, the doubling of the social welfare payments, the reduction of the student contribution and the doubling of the student grant for December. These are all extraordina…

The Europe-wide windfall tax represents another opportunity to reduce costs for both households and businesses. This tax will be levied on energy companies that provide low-carbon and low-emissions energy. I have heard figures of between €2 billion and €3 billion for Ireland alone out of the entire pot. That is a significant pot to use to cushion the blow for businesses and households, but the latter especially. When can we expect to see the benefits of the windfall tax? When can we expect to see the revenue distri…

Could the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform provide an update on the implementation of the national development plan, specifically concerning NSO 8, which refers to the transition to a climate-neutral society?

I thank the Minister for the response. He alluded to many of the measures that will be used to reduce emissions and achieve climate neutrality. One of the key ways that we can transition to a climate-neutral society is through active travel and the provision of walkways and cycleways in particular. Unfortunately, we saw an alarming statistic in 2021, which was that 56% of funding for active travel in rural areas remained unspent. Is the Department monitoring the expenditure of the various local authorities on activ…

If possible, I would like to see a breakdown, especially of Cork County Council. It has achieved great things especially in building social houses. I am interested to see what its delivery on active travel is like, especially in the western division. I know the Minister cannot comment on individual projects, but the NDP does refer to a project to deliver safe walking and cycling access between Clonakilty, my home town, and Inchydoney, probably our most famous tourism destination. Currently, there is no safe pedestr…

I will be quick. It is a focus of this Government to improve public transport and encourage people to use it. For that to happen, we need a public transport system and a bus service that is fit for purpose. The Kinsale to Cork city bus service, the 226 service, is not fit for purpose. There are capacity issues. Students who want to access third level education in Cork city are being left on the side of the road. In the terrible weather we have seen recently, that is a horrible situation. There is also an issue with…

I am glad that the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is present because the fishing sector needs a fuel subsidy. The seafood task force asked for a second month of a tie-up scheme. The Minister provided that; he answered. I now ask that he answers their call for a fuel subsidy. The energy costs are spiralling. Diesel costs are spiralling through the roof. I was presented with an invoice the other day of over €5,000 for diesel costs. If there is a fuel subsidy, I would like to see it extended to the insh…

It is like a game of name the hotels.

The House will hear many references to west Cork in the next seven minutes. I am informed there is a drinking game: any time I mention "west Cork" during my Dáil contributions, a drink should be taken. I welcome the Bill and the provision of funding, and I say "Well done" to the Minister for all the work she is doing in this regard. I want to be parochial, like everyone else, and talk about west Cork. Everyone, or certainly those who live there, knows how wonderful west Cork is and I am sure the Minister is tired o…

I see 20 minutes on the clock; I only requested two minutes. It will be a big job to draw that out.

I am sure they are. First of all, I wholeheartedly welcome the announcement today that it has been signed off that fishers from outside the EU and the EEA will be able to avail of proper work permits. It is something for which I advocated as soon as I came into this Dáil. I have to be grateful to the Minister of State, Deputy English, in this regard because I had brought it up in the Dáil Chamber with him previously. He promised me there would be movement on it and there has been. I must also mention the efforts of…

I bring to the Taoiseach’s attention a headline in my local newspaper, the Southern Star , that states, "Forget the climate for now says TD". The newspaper attributes that comment to a public representative in my constituency. This is in the context of people drowning in floods across the globe, dying in forest fires that are out of control, sea levels rising and thousands of young Irish people having taken to the streets calling on us for action, yet there are public representatives in the House, climate change de…