After more than 20 years of global negotiations on climate change, 195 countries agreed an historic deal last Saturday at the Conference of Parties, COP 21, to keep the global temperature rise to below 2° Celsius in order to significantly reduce the risk and impact of climate change. To achieve this, we will have almost eliminated most use of fossil fuels by 2050. Fossil fuels must be kept in the earth and this must become the mantra of every Irish person. Some years ago, Deputy Micheál Martin and Fianna Fáil became the first in the world to ban smoking in workplaces.

He did and he was a great Minister for Health.

Hear, hear.

Over time, a cultural change took place and people bought into the decision that people could not smoke in workplaces. We took leadership in the world and the same is required again. Here in Ireland we are so full of ourselves that we think we are some big nation. In other people's eyes this is just a little island with 4.5 million people. However, we must take responsibility for initiatives and actions on climate change for the benefit of everybody in the world. While the White Paper the Government produced yesterday is grand on the vision, the action is not spelled out. We need a six-point action plan on keeping fossil fuels in the ground by 2050. Last night I was at a meeting in Trinity College Dublin. Every person present had bought into the concept and wanted Irish citizens to take the lead. People in the public audience were very critical of politicians and the Government's ambiguity about climate change. We will discuss it another time.