Governments of the world can be split between those who are climate leaders and those who are climate laggards. All of us want to ensure that Ireland is in the first category rather than the second, showing leadership on climate and not lagging behind others. Let us look to some examples of leadership by different governments. In Wales, the Labour Government has taken the radical decision to halt future road-building projects due to climate concerns. In France, the Government is moving to ban short-haul flights where a decent rail alternative is available. In Australia, state governments are turning down mining licences to avoid further damage to the coral on the Great Barrier Reef. Closer to home, the European Parliament has voted to ban the sale of new combustion-engine cars by 2035.

Politics is about choices, as we know, and change is always a choice. For a great many years, Ireland was labelled internationally as a climate laggard. The passing of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, which we all supported, marked an important step in this country’s path to a cleaner environment and a safer future, and to positive change on climate. As in so many areas, this Government’s approach to climate action since then has been strong on rhetoric and the setting of targets but weak on delivery and the achievement of targets; more laggard than leader. It does not help that many of those supporting climate action within the Government are so regularly undermined by others in the coalition Government, although I have to say that looking across the floor today, it looks more like a single-party government than a coalition.

Those were the days, my friend.

No comment.

When we are asking people to come along the way with us to a net-zero future, we need to see the Government introducing climate action policies which will show benefit in the short term. We need to see carrots and not just sticks. We need incentives and not just sanctions when it comes to climate action. Yesterday, the Taoiseach confirmed to me during Leaders' Questions that the "I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-a-budget" mini-budget will be launched next Tuesday. We will hear some clarity then as to the measures to be introduced and that is welcome. Can the Tánaiste give assurances that the mini-budget package will be targeted and sustainable and that the measures introduced will be environmentally proofed?

I know that there is disquiet in the Green Party that in addition to being insufficient to make a difference to the bills of the most hard-pressed families, untargeted electricity credits may also have done little to progress climate action. This is a real concern with that particular measure. As part of Tuesday’s package, why not adopt instead the Labour Party proposal for a €9 climate ticket that we put forward last October? Modelled on the scheme in Germany, the ticket would enable people to take unlimited public transport journeys on trains, trams and buses for just €9 per month. This would have a significant impact on emissions, equivalent to taking 23,000 cars off our roads. It would also help people to make the move to public transport and assist in addressing the cost-of-living crisis. We are seeing other jurisdictions taking leadership on climate. In next Tuesday's mini-budget, will this Government be taking leadership on climate measures too?

Among the negatives of the terrible war in Ukraine is the obvious and shocking impact of the death and destruction of young people in a war, both Ukrainians and the young Russians who are being sent to the front line by a despotic leader who seems to have no consideration for life or limb. There is also the terrible impact on civilians in Ukraine, with the displacement of 8 million people. Along with that, people analysing the war will say that it has had a negative impact on climate. The rush to reduce dependency on Russia for gas and oil means that more and more liquified petroleum gas, LPG, is coming into Europe and because of the inflationary pressures that have come from the war, we have had to deal with cost-of-living increases.

Deputy Bacik has rightly raised a conflict that potentially arises when we try to protect people from a financial and socioeconomic point of view by helping them with the cost of filling their car with petrol or diesel and by subsidising them in terms of home heating or reducing VAT on fuel. That creates tension. Given the extraordinary and exponential rise in wholesale and retail prices - although retail prices never followed the wholesale prices fully, they did go up significantly - over the last year we found ourselves, counter-intuitively, having to help people with their expenditure on fossil fuels. In ordinary times, that would obviously not be the direction we would want to take in terms of climate change more generally. That balance is there. Over the last six months, we have rightly had to look after people in terms of their capacity to live in the context of their basic expenditure.

We also took other initiatives, to be fair. We took a school transport initiative to try to encourage more people to get to school by bus. We tried to use the cost-of-living package - I was very keen on this - to embed measures that would be beneficial for the climate into the future. One of those was the school transport initiative. Another was the general reduction in travel costs, with the 20% reduction in public transport fares and the youth travel card discount of 50% to the end of 2023. I would like to see that extended beyond 2023, if I am honest. That is where we should go in respect of doing things that are beneficial to the climate.

We will continue to examine ways of making sure we do not regress in respect of the climate agenda as we try to protect households and low-income families in particular. On the fuel allowance, for example, I mentioned that families on that allowance are getting €2,000. If one looked at that exclusively through the prism of climate change, one would not be giving them that €2,000. That is just the reality of where we found ourselves in this time of exceptional cost-of-living increases.

First, I echo the Tánaiste's words on Ukraine as we approach the first anniversary of this horrific and brutal war. I will be speaking at the Ireland For All rally this Saturday to show solidarity with those who have come here seeking refuge. I also look forward to speaking at an event on 24 February, organised by the Ukrainian community, to mark the anniversary of the brutal war.

In his response to me on the measures to be introduced on Tuesday, the Tánaiste has given no reassurance as to their environmental impact. I appreciate that the Tánaiste has said that he wants to see more radical measures on public transport, so why not adopt the Labour Party proposal on a climate ticket? It is a radical proposal that would have a significant impact on the cost of living for so many hard-pressed families and individuals, as well as having a strong and positive environmental benefit.

The Tánaiste has spoken of the high fuel cost for so many families. Indeed, I raised the matter yesterday with the Taoiseach. What will the Government be doing on the fuel allowance? What will happen for hardworking families who are really pressed on energy bills?

Finally, I wish to state that it is important that we show leadership in this House too. Earlier this week, I wrote to the Ceann Comhairle, asking that we adopt a clearer set of environmental policies in this House in terms of recycling, the segregation of waste, as well as on support for cycling and EV facilities in the House.

I agree 100%. I applaud the Deputy's position in terms of her address to the public meeting next Saturday. I think she has shown leadership in that respect, which I recognise and acknowledge. In terms of the broader agenda, I would have written to the Ceann Comhairle in my time in opposition. We now have the wildflowers on the Merrion Street entrance to Leinster House. The entrance is now much better than the manicured lawns of yesteryear. We need to do more and lead by example in respect of how we live and the reality of policies that we want to implement from a climate change perspective.

The Deputy referenced roads and so on earlier. I am not necessarily anti-road; we need roads for buses and EVs. There is a legitimate debate to be had about this. Last year I had the benefit of opening the Macroom bypass. We had not seen so many Kerry Deputies in Cork in a long time. The point is that the pollution relief and the impact on safety for the people living in Macroom was enormous. There is an issue here-----

What about the climate issue?

-----that we need to factor in in terms of road-building.

What about the climate?

There is a climate issue but we need to get the EVs faster, in my view. That would be my perspective on it.