I support the call made for an invitation to be issued to the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, to discuss the climate action plan. It is by far the most significant environmental and climate action document the country has ever seen. Much of it arises from our growing awareness of the impact of human behaviour on the environment and climate change, as well as the need to change not just to reduce carbon emissions but also to safeguard water quality and biodiversity. In many ways I am disappointed to hear some of the commentary on the plan that is nothing short of reckless and hypocritical coming from some of those in the Opposition. The plan recognises that every sector, including how we live in and heat our homes, our modes of transport and the agriculture and construction industries, must come under scrutiny. It is not just about climate change as we must also be sustainable. We are dependent on fossil fuels from volatile countries that may be at war with one another because of oil, coal and all the rest. This is our opportunity to make a change. If the critics of the plan look at it, they will see an entire section on transition. It acknowledges that it will not be easy and that sectors of society may be hit very hard. It notes, however, that people should not be crucified. Clearly there is an appetite among the public, especially young people, to address the matter. It is a clarion call to politicians to tease out the matters surrounding transition but not to knock a plan that will require individual Departments to be responsible and have carbon budgets that they will not be able to hive off as somebody else's responsibility. Everybody will have to consider how he or she will make this country a better place. If we are clever, we will invest in the bioeconomy and the business possibilities for economic growth such as research and development of wave energy or electric vehicles. We should look at anything that might provide a new way of living that will not be dependent on fossil fuels, which is how we have enjoyed our lifestyles for the past 100 years or since oil and the internal combustion engine were discovered. There is both a great challenge and an opportunity. I hope that is where the debate will start, rather than the charge that we are attacking rural Ireland or doing this or that to somebody else. Everybody is in this together. We must only look around to see the impact it will have on the climate, water quality, biodiversity and everything else. We should face up to the matter.

I would like to be associated with the remarks of sympathy expressed to the Cathaoirleach by most, if not all, Members on the loss of his sister. I also express my sympathy to Senator Coghlan on the loss of his mother.

I organised a briefing today that was referenced by Senators Conway-Walsh and Ó Ríordáin.

I thank them for attending the briefing with representatives of the SIPTU health division who explained to Deputies, Senators and staff in these Houses why 10,000 members of the SIPTU health division have decided to take industrial action commencing this Thursday. It is important that Members of this House understand why that difficult decision was taken. It is not a decision that was taken lightly. A number of years ago the Government decided, in consultation with the trade union involved, to undertake a job evaluation process. This involved an investigation into and examination of pay rates, skill sets and how the roles of health care assistants, porters, surgical instrument technicians and so on have evolved over the years. That independent job evaluation process made a number of very interesting findings, including the fact that the jobs in question have evolved to the point where the skill sets, requirements and responsibilities involved are enormous and, critically, that the workers, who number 10,000, are significantly underpaid in many cases. Unfortunately, this Government has decided not to fulfil its part of the bargain. It has accepted the outcome of the process but has, in essence, shelved the reports produced and refused to pay the moneys owed to our health care assistants, porters, hospital chefs and other important health service support staff grades on which the health service depends.

The first person one meets when one goes into a hospital is the porter. Those of us who have stayed in hospital know that the health service is very much dependent on the work of health care assistants to support nursing and medical staff. They do very important jobs, but unfortunately this Government does not seem to recognise that. There is an upstairs, downstairs attitude, as described by my colleague, Mr. Paul Bell of SIPTU, earlier today. This Government certainly seems to value the work that is done by doctors and nurses, as does everybody, but if the attitude of the Government to this dispute is anything to go by, it does not place any value whatsoever on the work done by health care assistants and others. We are talking here about critical cogs in the wheel, people who make sure that the system works effectively and efficiently. I am sick and tired of being told by Fine Gael Ministers, Deputies and Senators that this and matters like it are for the Labour Court to resolve because this is actually a political issue. There is no discussion to be had in the Labour Court because the evidence is based on the job evaluation reports. The Government has accepted the job evaluation reports and it is now a political decision as to whether the Minister for Finance will pay the moneys to the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure that these people get the recognition and respect due to them and the moneys that are owed. This is a political decision and I am calling on Members of this House to support the SIPTU workers who will be on strike this Thursday, the first of five planned days of industrial action. I hope it does not get to the stage where we have other days of industrial action but that is a matter for the Government to address now.

Hear, hear.