Climate Change Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019

Tuesday, 22 October 2019

Questions (56)

Eamon Ryan

Question:

56. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she is taking to ensure the political views expressed by thousands of young persons in recent months who have marched and protested on a range of issues but particularly the issue of climate action are engaged with and acted on, in view of the fact that one of the transformational goals of the strategy of her Department for young persons, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures 2014 to 2020, is to listen to and involve children and young persons. [43419/19]

Oral answers (6 contributions)

Deputy Eamon Ryan

My question follows the major climate strikes by young people throughout the country, including on Merrion Square, outside Leinster House, where they addressed the House directly in saying they were not being listened to and that we were not protecting their future. Everything in the Government's strategy for children indicates that we have to hear their voices, particularly on decisions that affect them. The issue of climate change will affect them more than us. How might we increase the involvement of young people in decision making and listen to them in a way that works?

Deputy Katherine Zappone

I am deeply conscious that climate justice is the issue of our time. I am proud of how young people have demonstrated tremendous leadership, as the Deputy identified, in amplifying the conversation on climate justice, not least on the international stage. My Department has become a world leader in listening to children and young people. Young people have a right to have their voices heard and contribute to the policy process on climate matters. Not only that, we must acknowledge that the solutions to the complex issues related to the climate will be better shaped if they are informed by young people from the start.

My Department oversees and supports the well established permanent structures that include Dáil na nÓg, Comhairle na nÓg and the structured dialogue process. Many of the projects carried out at local level by Comhairle na nÓg are related to climate action. On 23 November, Dáil na nÓg will meet and form the newly appointed Comhairle na nÓg national executive. Young people have agreed that the national executive's work for the coming two years will be on the topic of climate action. They will be supported and enabled by officials from my Department to work with decision makers in the relevant Departments and other bodies to ensure these actions will be translated into policy and practice on the ground.

Last week I announced a new special fund for youth action on climate justice. I hope it will help to enhance channels for direct engagement between young people and decision makers across Government and beyond. The overall goal will be to bolster young people to be in powerful, enduring dialogue with decision makers and to support initiatives that are both youth-led and respond to the issues raised by young people.

As a country, we have been to the forefront in developing innovative structures to enable young people to participate in decisions that will affect their lives and we have published the first national strategy in the area. I am pleased that we can use these participation structures in a practical way to deal with actions on climate change.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I welcome all of the developments outlined by the Minister. It is welcome that this Chamber will be used as a setting for young people. As the Minister indicated, Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg, when asked at their meetings what the key issue for them was, both agreed that climate change was at the top of their agenda. Will the Minister go further and give examples of how we can engage, not just with national institutions but also at local level? We need to change every community in the way the transport, energy, food and energy systems work. While there is an effective scheme of green flags in primary and secondary schools, I encourage the Minister and her relevant ministerial colleagues, namely, the Ministers for Transport, Tourism and Sport and Communications, Climate Action and Environment, to engage with schools directly such as on the issue of safe routes to schools. At my local school down the road which my daughter attends there are approximately 600 girls, only 20 of whom cycle to school. How can we change that figure? We should involve students by asking for their help and advice on what we could do in practical term to make the leap and change. Such examples, which relate to actions on the ground in the community at a local level, not just at the level of Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg, are what we need to listen to and take action.

Deputy Katherine Zappone

I greatly appreciate what the Deputy said. I, too, have visited several schools in my constituency to observe what they have done of their own accord under the green flag scheme or in dealing with other issues they have identified. The other day I visited a junior school where I met the green committee which comprised senior infants pupils and discussed what they encouraged their parents to do to change their behaviour to support the work on climate action and change. I, therefore, accept the Deputy's point and agree with it. My initial response emphasised that there were structures, not just at school level, as the Deputy noted, but also at local level that fed into what was happening at national level where we have listened to the voices of young people. They have identified climate change as their main issue and specific actions that they want to take and which they also want adults to take. We want to find a way to establish, as part of that process and across Government, tapping into various Departments, an ongoing forum to enable a gathering of young people to have deeper engagement with parliamentarians in a way that will continue to influence what we decide to do and that will help them to stay ahead of us.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

That is welcome. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Bruton, has travelled throughout the country and held a series of public meetings, but he should have some specifically with younger people. If he were to do so, one hopes it might help to move the dial. During the recent climate march on Merrion Square I heard the anger among young people. There was a sense that they were not being listened to and that, on the one hand, the Government talked about how it was into climate action, while in the next moment it stated there would have to be a liquefied natural gas facility on the River Shannon to provide for our future security. Such facilities, however, undermine the security of young people. I could list example after example, but I return to my main point that on this issue more than others, young people have a perspective and voice that deserve to be heard because it is their future. They can envisage the reality of what will unfold in their lives if we do not address it. The Government states it listens, but it does not seem to change to make different decisions and act. If it involved young people more, perhaps we might finally sway the Ministers for Communication, Climate Action and Environment, Transport, Tourism and Sport and Agriculture, Food and the Marine. They are not moving, but they need to listen more.

Deputy Katherine Zappone

I attended the UN General Assembly with the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and others when young people were outside. The United Nations invited them inside and we listened to what they had to say. Some of our climate activists were in attendance and we had conversations with them. We promised them that when we returned, we would try to identify ways by which we could develop engagement. I refer more specifically to an ongoing youth council forum to extend the structures already in place and to develop a way to ensure their voices will continue to be heard, which is exactly what I identified in my initial response. We are beginning to put such a forum in place and plan for it. I sought money in the budget to do so. I agree with the Deputy and have identified that we have begun the process.