The people have spoken.

The message contained in the results of the elections which took place on Friday demanding radical emergency measures to address the climate crisis was dramatic and unmistakable. The central demand of the global climate movement is to keep fossil fuels in the ground. All the science says that 80% of known reserves of fossil fuels must stay in the ground if we are to address the crisis. At the weekend, the Taoiseach promised that the Government would heed the message. In that context, I ask very simply whether the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment will now refuse the application under consideration in his Department from the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation and Exxon Mobil to drill for oil off the Kerry coast? If the Government is serious about climate change and dealing with the climate crisis as promised, will that application now be refused? To permit new drilling for oil off the Kerry coast is completely incompatible with any serious intent to deal with the climate crisis.

I call the Minister.

That is particularly so when one of the biggest producers of offshore crude oil in the world is involved.

On the same issue-----

I can take a question which is related if a Deputy's name is on my list. Deputy Eamon Ryan will be coming in as the leader.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle let other people in on the same topic.

That is because they were on my list. They indicated earlier. A Deputy must indicate.

That does not make sense. People do not necessarily know what topics are coming up.

If a Deputy is interested, I have no control. Does Deputy Coppinger have a different question to that of her colleague?

I want 30 seconds.

Let it be a question.

It is on the same issue of why the Government is allowing drilling to take place after such a clear message to the effect that the people want radical action. If the Government is serious about listening to the electorate, in particular young people, and their message from the weekend, it should stop now rather than simply to talk about carbon taxes and a range of oppressive financial measures imposed on ordinary people.

Is there a question?

If the Government is serious, it will let the Bill progress.

I ask the Minister, Deputy Bruton, for a brief response.

I will try to be as brief as the questioners were. The first point to make is that the Bill to which the Deputies refer will not reduce our greenhouse gases by a single ounce or gramme. Our challenge is to reduce greenhouse gases in Ireland.

Who does "our" refer to? It is a global problem.

Let the Minister speak without interruption.

We have failed to meet our 2020 target and we are determined to meet our 2030 target. The reality is that, today, 84% of our needs are met by fossil fuels. Our problem is not too much exploration, it is too much dependence on and use of fossil fuels. We must reduce that 84% over the coming years, which is what we are determined to do.

That is not what the science says.

We are determined to reduce its use in every sector of the economy, including buildings and transport, and to use a range of policy tools to bring that about, including carbon pricing, which is an important system for pricing the damage that is done.

And to keep drilling for oil.

Please, Deputy.

It is important not to pretend there is a magic bullet that will change our 84% dependence on fossil fuels to something else. That will not happen. We must have a sensible transition from a dependence rate of 84% and reduce that over time. Gas will always be part of that transition.

We do not have time.

Every Deputy is to be treated likewise in the House. I call Deputy Mattie McGrath.