It is really important that we get this process of development of DMAPs right. The committee met with the Department. There is concern across the political spectrum that there is not enough capacity within the Department to do the DMAP work at the pace and scale required and that we could potentially fail to realise the opportunity that is there or to give a clear indication that Ireland is ambitious, particularly in the area of floating offshore wind. I appreciate the technical piece as regards ensuring this stuff…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the climate committee's consideration of the landmark citizens' assembly on biodiversity loss. I thank the witnesses who presented before the committee. I also thank the secretariat, the other committee members, a number of whom are in the Chamber, and the Chair of the committee for his chairing of proceedings. Like others, I most of all want to thank and commend the work of the citizens' assembly and the young people's assembly. We thank them for their efforts and for their de…

I will start by echoing that point. It is not just in County Louth; in County Meath as well and, I am sure, elsewhere the road conditions are deplorable. It is causing damage to vehicles and it needs to be tackled. There needs to be increased investment to allow that to happen. I want to raise two points. One relates to Garda numbers and roads policing. Driver behaviour is deteriorating because drivers have licence to behave badly. They are not being caught and not being punished. We have heard on numerous occasion…

There is a target to double the amount of energy generated from onshore wind between now and 2030 but delivery has fallen off a cliff edge under the Government's watch. The planning system is not fit for purpose. Wind energy guidelines are a case in point. The existing guidelines were published in 2006, which is a lifetime ago in terms of technology and everything else. In the meantime, as communities grow increasingly frustrated, we are told a landmark High Court ruling on wind farm noise, which has the potential …

Onshore.

We have had the wettest March on record with a huge amount of rain, but in Ratoath and Ashbourne we have consistent problems with water outages, shortages and restrictions. There is an investment programme. It is late, but it is welcome. The issue I will raise is Uisce Éireann's engagement with public representatives, local businesses, local communities, families, householders and children with disabilities. There is a charter in place but its engagement is wholly inadequate. Its support for communities when there …

Yes.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill, particularly with regard to the infrastructure, climate and nature fund. Decades of inaction by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led Governments lies at the heart of the situation we now find ourselves in: a climate laggard with lofty targets dressed up in serious-sounding rhetoric but without the actual policies or programmes to deliver. Instead of making progress, Ireland is going backwards. Today, Ireland is less likely to achieve our 2030 emissions reduction …

I ask the Tánaiste about the new school building programme. In my own area, Lismullen National School is waiting for a letter of intent, Dunshaughlin Community National School and Coláiste Ríoga, Dunshaughlin, went into planning four years ago and, at risk of my speaking time timing out, I mention Gormanston College and Dunboyne national schools. I see that there have been many Topical Issues and written questions from across the political spectrum asking the question as to why projects are not proceeding at the pa…

I ask the Minister to report on the European Commission's assessment of the draft updated national energy and climate plan. What measures is he taking to respond to the assessment's recommendations? What changes does he plan to make to avoid the Commission’s assessment that Ireland’s NECP is not sufficient to meet 2030 targets? How does he plan to ensure Ireland’s share of renewable energy is sufficient to meet the 2030 target?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I will point to a number of the observations and assessments in this report. The report indicates there are few detailed measures in the plan, for example, to reduce gas demand. The assessment recommends Ireland "Significantly raise the ambition of a share of renewable energy sources ...", provide an indicative trajectory in that regard and "Ensure significant measures are taken ...". On the internal energy market, the report says Ireland's plan "does not indicate specific measures to…

Another area highlighted is fossil fuel subsidies. The report indicates there is "No date, timeline or commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies ...". Will the Minister give us an update in that regard? I ask him to expand on that point regarding the timeline for the updating of this NECP. This initial draft was submitted late. Is it the case the further draft is due in quarter 2 of this year?

I wish to ask the Minister about the deposit return scheme and ask for an update of his Department’s work to assess the operation of the scheme since its inception. Will the Minister report on the work of the consultative group to ensure that the concerns of those with accessibility issues are heard and provide an update on the review of the scheme's infrastructure by disability organisations? Will the Minister also report on how his Department will monitor how unredeemed deposits are used? Will the Minister make a…

I thank the Minister of State. It is important that these issues are recognised. They have been raised in a number of forums with myself and a number of colleagues, particularly the piece on accessibility for people with disabilities. I welcome the fact that there is going to be engagement on them. I look forward to seeing practical measures implemented that address those issues. More widely, there has been significant coverage of the teething problems with the scheme, particularly in regard to international bar co…

I thank the Minister of State. How many bottles and cans have been returned to date? I heard it is in the region of 2 million. I ask the Minister of State to provide an update in that regard. Some people have made the reasonable point that they were already recycling. What is the argument of the Minister of State in that regard? Is it that the scheme will reduce contamination? Is it that it will increase the overall level of recycling? Is that the stated objective here? I have been contacted by football clubs, thir…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the protection and restoration of nature and the need to make progress in Ireland. Sinn Féin completely supports and prioritises the need to protect, restore, and enhance nature. The scale of the crisis that confronts biodiversity cannot and should not be understated. Sinn Féin's rejection last week of the nature restoration law was not a rejection of the intent and purpose of the law. We must work to protect the complex interconnected ecosystem that is the beating heart of our…

I want to ask the Minister about the number of psychologists employed by CAMHS in the Meath area; the number of psychologists working in CAMHS in the Meath area; the length of the waiting list to access CAMHS services in the Meath area; the average time waiting to secure an appointment with a psychologist in the Meath area; and the average waiting time in recent years.

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. It is very concerning that we have a 75% vacancy rate for one reason or another. Can I have an update on filling those posts? I appreciate that the funding is in place but I would push back and say it is not enough for the Department or the HSE to provide the funding. We need to secure and fill those posts. Are enough psychologists being trained? Is the HSE recruiting to a significant degree? What is being done to fill those posts? It is recognised that they are required…

There is an urgent need to address those vacancies and I encourage the Minister of State at the earliest opportunity to meet the demand that exists. I encourage her to review the workforce plan in respect of the overall demand for the services and ensure those teams are filled as full as possible and that there are not vacancies. We are talking about psychology here. I expect it might not be to the same extent but there might be a similar picture in other grades as well. Is social prescribing being explored as a pr…

When workers at Tara Mines were put on temporary layoff last July, the Taoiseach and various Ministers said everything would be done to support them and to get the mine opened as quickly as possible. Many of us wondered at the time what was the employer's plan. That plan has now become clear. It is a plan to reduce costs and maximise profits by reducing the number of directly employed workers and altering their terms and conditions. It is also a plan to negotiate through the media. The trade unions SIPTU, Unite and…