May we wish our greatest public servant, T.K. Whitaker, a happy birthday and honour him? He is a remarkable man. I must ask a follow on question. Where is today's version of Whitaker? Where is the person who will make the same type of leap we need to make? TK Whitaker was involved in Ireland's leap from being a closed country to an open one. What we need to do today is move from being a fossil fuelled country to a sustainable clean and better economic model.

We need to do that because we are, as our best scientist, Professor John Sweeney, has said, a "delinquent" State in terms of climate change and that is the only accurate word to use.

Our best regulator, Laura Burke, got it absolutely right last week when she said that when it came to climate change we were all talk and no action. The figures behind that argument are clear. In energy and transport our emissions are going up by 5% per year when they have to go down by that amount. I was at the sustainable nation business conference last month and all the people in this area gave one clear message, that we had everything in place to enable us to be good at this transition. We can create jobs and secure our economic future but all said that what was missing was political leadership. The money and the expertise is there and we have good companies with people ready to do it but nothing is happening.

The current capital plan is woefully inadequate to bring about any change or transition. The Minister responsible for energy spoke on the matter but there is nothing in the annual transition statement. The only plan we have is to burn biomass for power generation which, as anybody in the energy sector knows and Greenpeace has said, is like putting out a fire with gasoline. I have recently been critical of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, for apparently having no interest in his responsibility to switch to a cleaner transport system in the form of public transport, electric vehicles and cycling and walking. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae was right to say yesterday that there is no money for cycling infrastructure in Kerry, which it needs, and nor is there any in Dublin. This is madness because by tackling the climate issue we will get a better transport system. We are facing gridlock and one of the ways out of it is to take action. The Minister for Transport is doing nothing. In agriculture we are trading on an Origin Green banner which we will not be able to use because it is not the reality. We have everything to gain by going green as Teagasc has shown that doing so gives a more profitable agricultural system.

We have no Whitaker and no Lemass. What is stopping the Government from taking real serious action on climate change? Why is it allowing this county to become a delinquent State on this crucial issue of our time?

In January we will publicly launch a plan for what Ireland should look like in 25 years' time, in 2040. We will take a long-term view and the plan will include an ambitious and proactive approach to our responsibilities on climate change. The Deputy spoke of people taking responsibility but there are many people in this House, the Deputy included, who had an opportunity to come in, be part of Government and help to drive this agenda from within as opposed to standing outside asking for things to happen. We have a commitment from Government consistent with the Paris agreement and we will have sectoral plans and commitments that each Minister will have to deliver on, including transport.

I agree with the Deputy that we have not done enough in transport. I was previously Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and we changed the mindset among Irish farmers in terms of their approach towards the environment, because agriculture plays an enormous part in contributing to our emissions. However, a lot of people fail to focus on the fact that, in the past ten to 20 years, the contribution to emissions from agriculture has reduced, and is continuing to reduce because of the measures that have been taken in a responsible way by farmers and food producers across the country under the Origin Green banner. It is about changing mindsets as well as action and involves much more efficient food production. We will continue on that journey but we will do so in a way that does not undermine the capacity of people to make a living.

Ireland is recognised internationally as a country that is leading in the climate change challenge in respect of agrifood and agriculture and we will continue to do that too. I have had the privilege of speaking on these issues before the world food programme and the World Wildlife Fund because people want to understand how the Origin Green project, designed and implemented in Ireland, can actually be implemented in other countries, particularly in developing countries that have to produce a lot more food for their growing populations.

There are major challenges ahead and we need to meet them. We need to factor the challenges presented by climate change into many of the other planned initiatives such as capital programmes in the transport, agriculture and energy sectors. We need to set and meet ambitious targets. We need to move away from coal-powered electricity generation. The Deputy and I had many conversations on the issue during negotiations in advance of setting up the Government. The programme for Government contains strong statements to that effect. While there is much more we need to do regarding our responsibilities as a First World country that must give example and take a leadership position on how we reduce emissions and manage a growing economy in a more climate efficient way, let us not pretend that nothing is happening in this area.

I would love to have gone into government. My experience of being in government is that when one has leadership and big, bold plans, one can do things and change. We could do this and be really good at it. However, one of the reasons we did not enter government was we sensed there was no ambition among the Government parties.

Excuse me, but the facts bear it out. Emissions are increasing by 5% per annum, when they should be cut by 5%. That is the reality. Let us wake up to the reality, not deny it. This issue does not belong only to the Green Party. Yesterday in the Seanad a Fianna Fáil Member said he did not want a lecture. I do not want to lecture anybody; I want to work with everyone. This issue belongs to every party; it is not a niche issue. We must fundamentally change our entire economic model and do so quickly. They grass is being cut on Leinster Lawn in the middle of December. Today in the Arctic it is 25° Celsius above average. As well as these obvious, urgent reasons, there is an opportunity for the State to engage in a just transition to give us a more stable and secure economy. The rest of the world is moving in this direction, no matter what Donald Trump will do to try to stop it. It is in our economic interests to do this, but it is not happening. Let us be honest and wake up to the reality. Let us have dialogue. I do not want to lecture anybody, but, God Almighty, we cannot ignore the issue. We need a modern day T. K. Whitaker. Unfortunately, the poor man, at the age of 100 years, is probably not going to be able to do it, but somebody needs to do it. We need leadership.

In case I was misunderstood, I accept where the Deputy is coming from and can see how genuine and passionate he is about the issue. We have had many conversations on climate change and what needs to be done beyond what has been planned for. I agree with the vast majority of it. The programme for Government is very clear - it is in black and white - the Government's ambition is not to fudge on the climate change agenda or move away from it. We are committed to having a national dialogue on climate change.

There is nothing in the programme for Government about it.

It will be part of the dialogue on a national planning framework. All of these matters - how we move around, where we live, how we work, how we heat and power our homes and how we drive our cars - are interlinked. There will be an extra 1 million people living in Ireland. There will probably be 8 million people living on this island between 2050 and 2060 and we need to plan for it now in the context of the challenges with which we will undoubtedly be confronted in emissions management, but the Government is up for it. The Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, is giving great leadership. We want the Deputy to be part of the dialogue and I hope he will be.