Tá an cheist atá agam inniu ag díriú isteach ar athrú aeráide, go háirithe na bearta práinneacha atá ag teastáil ó d'fhógair an Dáil seo éigeandáil an Déardaoin seo caite. Tá mo cheist ag díriú isteach ar na bearta práinneacha atá ag teastáil go háirithe ó thaobh cathair na Gaillimhe de. Ireland became only the second country in the world to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency last Thursday. That declaration was made on foot of amendments tabled by all Opposition parties in the Dáil further to the publication of the report from the Joint Committee on Climate Action. That committee was set up on foot of a recommendation contained in the Citizens' Assembly report which outlined other urgent recommendations on how the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change. It has taken the visual imagery, however, of children protesting on our streets and streets throughout the world to force the Dáil to take action, along with the numerous reports, both national and international, from UN bodies, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the Climate Advisory Council. These all clearly show that our trajectory of development is not just unsustainable, but catastrophic.

Last week the UN-commissioned report was published, and it highlighted in the most acute way the gravity of the biodiversity crisis. A few months before that we had the intergovernmental climate report, which cautioned that we had a window of 12 years in which to take action, without which there will be drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. We are talking about the most innocent people, who made very little contribution to climate change. While we have taken the first step, which is to be welcomed, it has to have meaning. I have some difficulty with the cognitive dissonance - the Taoiseach is familiar with the concept - that the Government displays. On the very day we declared an emergency, that morning Ireland was conspicuously absent from a list of EU states demanding that 25% of the budget be set aside for climate change. It was conspicuously absent from the list of countries demanding more action on climate change. Indeed, our advisory council has told us that we will miss our targets in 2020 and 2030.

In that context, following on from a specific recommendation on page 97 of the report published last week, I am asking the Government to choose Galway and its regional hinterlands as a blueprint for other cities in relation to the roll-out of climate mitigation measures. As the Taoiseach knows, is cathair álainn dhátheangach ar thairseach na Gaeltachta is mó sa tír í an Ghaillimh. It is a city that is destined for 50% growth. It has been picked out in the national planning framework as one of the five cities. However, in contrast to the other four cities, it has a major traffic problem and a housing crisis. The traffic crisis is actually strangling development in the city. I have asked, and am asking again, that a city be picked. The report asks for the same. I ask the Taoiseach to please pick Galway. It has 80,000 people, and is destined to grow by another 50%. Let us roll out a masterplan that is sustainable and allows for the development within the footprint of the city. In particular, we should carry out a feasibility study for light rail.

I welcome the fact Dáíl Éireann last week declared a climate action and biodiversity emergency in Ireland. I am also conscious of the fact that declaring an emergency for any other reason than a security reason does not give us any additional powers, tools or resources with which to deal with this problem. It is largely symbolic. It is a gesture, but symbols and gestures matter. We have to take it in that way and follow up on that declaration-----

It is a security issue.

-----through action, which is what is most important in this regard. We are taking measures in the areas of energy, transport, agriculture and heating. Taking energy as an example, we want to increase the amount of renewable energy we produce in Ireland from 30% to 70%. According to the European Commission our CO2 levels went down by almost 7% last year; we were in the top three countries in terms of CO2 emissions falling.

That was almost entirely down to the fact that Moneypoint was offline for a period. It shows what can be done. We can get coal out of the system and expand renewables. That is what we need to do with energy.

On transport in particular, we need to expand our electric vehicle network and move more delivery vans and delivery vehicles to the electric system. We are asking the ESB and its balance sheet to do an awful lot. We are asking this State company to deliver much of what we need to do with renewables and almost all of what we need to do with electrical vehicle charging points. Asking one company with a limited balance sheet to do another large project must be borne in mind if people really want to pursue that alternative.

In agriculture, we want to focus on a new Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, which encourages diversification and rewards farmers for engaging in sustainable and green food production. This will be a significant change but one which is necessary if we are going to do what we want to do concerning climate action in the period ahead.

I have not seen any detailed proposal on a special designation around Galway. I would welcome one from the Deputy because I have not had a chance to consider it. It is perhaps something we can work into the all-of-Government climate action plan which the Minister, Deputy Bruton, is finalising.

If we are to do what I believe is necessary to meet our obligations on climate change, as well as to engage in climate action to the extent that is necessary, it will not be about designating any one city or county. It will have to be done in every town, village, rural area and parish. Most importantly, it will be about changing the way every home and individual lives their lives.

The report has singled out that one city should be picked. It was in that context that I raised Galway.

On security, in February, the then Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Philip Lane, warned that if the pace of transition to a low-carbon economy was too slow, a sharper adjustment would ultimately be required, posing macroeconomic and financial stability risks. We have any number of warnings.

I do not think the Taoiseach meant it but if he is telling us that the declaration of emergency last week was symbolic, then we are in serious trouble. I will go back again to the concept of cognitive dissonance. There is something seriously amiss if this is what the Taoiseach thinks this is about. A declaration of an emergency was forced upon us by any number of reports and the actions of our children whose futures we are compromising.

I specifically asked in Irish for an action plan, following on from that emergency declaration, to be brought before us as a matter of urgency. It has national implications. Within that, I asked that Galway city be picked as the project which will show the way forward, given that it has all the ingredients, as it is destined to record 50% growth within the footprint of the city which will feed public transport. My preference for Galway is light rail. At the very least, the Government should carry out a feasibility study if a climate change declaration of emergency is to mean anything.

I respect the Deputy a lot and I am sure she would not wish to misrepresent me in any way. However, I will say again what I said but this time in a way that is clearer. I welcome last week’s declaration of a climate emergency by the Dáil. It is symbolic in the sense that it does not in itself do anything to reduce emissions and does not give us any tools, powers or resources to achieve what needs to be done when it comes to climate action. However, symbols are important. It is important we follow up on those symbols with real action. That is what we will see in the Minister’s all-of-Government climate action plan when it is published.

Up to €200 million has been set aside for BusConnects for Galway city which will significantly improve bus services there, as well as cycling facilities. Several greenways are being developed such as those in Moycullen and Oranmore.

The case for light rail is stronger in Cork than it is in Galway but I certainly would not rule it out. We know one needs a certain population density for light rail to be viable. It may be worthy of consideration in the future, however.