John Perry
Ceist:57 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress to date on his Department’s climate change policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22565/06]
Other Questions.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
The national climate change strategy provides the basis for Government policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the most efficient and equitable manner, and to ensure that Ireland meets its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. A variety of measures adopted by the Government on foot of the strategy are already contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These include higher standards of energy conservation provided for in the building regulations, cleaner electricity generation, increased penetration of renewable energy, grant assistance for householders and businesses to support investment in renewable energy technologies, improvements in public transport, tax incentives for more fuel efficient cars, and a package of excise relief for biofuels worth €205 million over five years announced in last December's budget.
Recently updated projections of greenhouse gas emissions for the 2008 to 2012 period, which include the expected effects of all existing measures, show that Ireland will face an average annual distance to its Kyoto Protocol target of 10%. This figure is, in fact, approximately 2 million tonnes per year less than previously estimated. Arising from this study, the Government recently decided the proportion of the necessary reduction that should be achieved by the sectors of the economy included in the EU emissions trading scheme.
The Environmental Protection Agency is now in the process of allocating allowances to individual installations in the scheme. The remainder of the reduction will be achieved through measures in the rest of the economy and through the purchase of credits under the Kyoto Protocol's flexible mechanisms. To ensure our target is met, a review of the strategy is being finalised in my Department. This review will provide an updated progress report on implementation and will identify possible additional measures. I intend shortly to publish this review as a consultation document which will inform the preparation of a revised strategy.
While our greenhouse gas emissions are under control or reducing in agriculture and industry, they are increasing massively in the transport area. Will the Minister introduce a system to oblige local authorities to provide park and ride facilities outside Dublin and other cities for those commuters who must, in the absence of public transport, drive into the city but would be prepared to use public transport onward from these points?
In view of the major increase in population, particularly along the east coast and in the counties surrounding Dublin, does the Minister consider it time to review the national spatial strategy to encourage more people to move away from cities and into the regions? This would serve to reduce the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions from motorists who currently face a 12 or 13-hour day.
The Deputy makes a good point in regard to park and ride facilities. In Greystones, where I lived until recently, the huge park and ride facility is sadly and surprisingly little used. The great hope was that commuters would leave their cars there and take the DART into Dublin. I am not sure whether the limited uptake is because of the 200 m walk from the park and ride facility to the train station. Other such facilities are being developed elsewhere and this is something I encourage. It is a good option for commuters in less accessible areas. The DART will never go to Roundwood, for example, but its residents can avail of the park and ride facility in Greystones to access it.
The national spatial strategy is closely integrated within the general architecture of the planning system. I am sure the Deputy does not contend it is time to abandon that strategy.
It is not working because people are not moving to the provinces.
One cannot adjudicate after only three or four years on the success or otherwise of a scheme that is designed to take place over a much longer timeframe.
It is not working.
The Deputy and I must agree to disagree on that point.
People are not moving to the provinces.
The Deputy is expressing a political opinion.
People are moving closer to the cities rather than further away. The Minister is not encouraging them to move away in terms of costs and strategy.
As the Deputy observed, there has been a remarkable increase in population in recent years. Who could have forecast the population would be more than 4 million in 2006 and a projected 5 million by 2020? I believe the latter figure may be a significant underestimation. Pressures will continue to arise in such an environment and issues will be raised in regard to the relationship between transport and planning in terms of densities, multi-storey living and so on. It is premature to suggest the national spatial strategy should be abandoned as part of our contribution towards the Kyoto strategy.
The Minister is being somewhat presumptuous. I used the word "changed" rather than "abandoned". Thousands of homes have been built in counties Wicklow, Louth and Meath, and the quality of life is decreasing for residents who face a commute that means their working day is 12 or 13 hours. If the national spatial strategy were effective, people would move out of cities into the provinces and endure shorter commutes, thus causing less pollution.
I acknowledge the Deputy's point. However, having laboured in the recent by-election in Meath, we are both aware that the main issue there was infrastructural deficits. Unfortunately, there are people willing to impede infrastructural developments. Meath, for example, needs an efficient road network more than any other county but people who are not representative of the populace are impeding progress. The House could help in this regard by progressing the national strategic infrastructure Bill.
I very much support that approach. The Minister is being too smart.
I do not mean to be smart. It is far more important to be humble than smart in politics.
Seanad Elections.
Jan O'Sullivan
Ceist:58 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will promote in Government the need to expand the franchise of the university panels of Seanad Éireann elections to include graduates of all universities and institutes of technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19907/06]
The Report on Seanad Reform, published by the Sub-committee on Seanad Reform in April 2004, sets out comprehensive recommendations for further consideration and action concerning the composition, functions and future role of Seanad Éireann. It recommends significant reform of the Seanad electoral system, involving rolling renewal of the Upper House and the introduction of direct election to a single national 26-seat constituency, with a further six seats to be reserved for direct election to a separate higher education constituency to include all graduates of institutions of higher education in the State.
At the request of the Taoiseach, I have convened an informal all-party parliamentary group on Seanad reform to assess the extent of cross-party agreement on the sub-committee's recommendations and to advance, with consensus, proposals for the implementation of Seanad reform. The group, which I chair, has adopted a pragmatic programme of work, initially addressing proposals which may attract an early consensus and are capable of implementation in the short to medium term. The proposals for reform of the higher education constituency will require detailed consideration by the group in light of differing views identified in our initial discussions. The group will meet again this week.
Will the Government explain to graduates of the University of Limerick, Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology and all other institutes of technology why they, unlike their counterparts in Trinity College Dublin and the colleges of the National University of Ireland, are not entitled to vote in Seanad elections? Given his responsibility for electoral matters, will the Minister ensure this situation is corrected before the next Seanad election in little more than 12 months?
The seventh amendment to the Constitution was put before the people in 1979 and many Ministers have stood in my place since then. The interesting point about the 1979 amendment is that it was originally introduced to facilitate the break-up of the NUI, which did not subsequently occur. I do not believe there is the necessary consensus to facilitate the change proposed by Deputy Gilmore within a year. The many legal difficulties involved have been discussed by the Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government. I am sure Deputy Stagg, who is a regular and effective contributor at the meetings of this committee, will be able to inform the Deputy of the issues.
It is not a simple matter. As the parent of children who have graduated from a variety of third level institutions, I believe it would be a positive development for them all to be involved in the Seanad elections. I would mislead the House, however, if I were to say that such change could be implemented by June next year.
What is Government policy on the matter? Does it intend to maintain the status quo or to extend Seanad voting rights to graduates of all third level institutions?
As I said, I have established a working group comprising representatives from all sides of the House.
That is methodology, not policy.
Perhaps there is too much policy and not enough methodology.
Is the Minister in favour of extending Seanad voting rights?
Yes, but we have some way to go to achieve that. It is not simply a case of saying I support such change, we must achieve consensus across the political spectrum before taking action. I am not convinced such consensus exists.
It is utterly strange that graduates of different institutions are considered to have equivalent qualifications when it comes to securing employment but not in respect of qualifying to vote in Seanad elections. There is no reason a decision cannot be made to implement change in this regard.
Has the Minister or the all-party committee considered the increasingly pronounced rural bias in terms of the Seanad election given the population of the east coast is continually increasing?
The electors to the Seanad are primarily members of local authorities but their numbers do not increase proportionately with the growth in the population of local authority areas. That bias will make the Seanad even more remote from people. Is that matter being considered by the Minister?
No, the point in the question posed by Deputy O'Sullivan relates to a decision made, by way of referendum, to introduce universal suffrage among all graduates, whether from the National University of Ireland or Trinity College. As I explained, there are difficulties with that.
I am not sure that the Deputy's point regarding bias is correct. The electorate of councillors reflects the reality of where the councils are. If anything, an argument could be made to the contrary. Nevertheless, that issue is not part of the work that has been ongoing in the group, nor was it a significant part of the work of the sub-committee which sat in the Seanad. That sub-committee dealt with a number of issues, including an increase in the number of Seanad Members to 65. It suggested that 32 Members should be directly elected and that 26 of the seats should be filled from a single constituency, using a proportional representation system. It also suggested that 20 Senators should be indirectly elected by county and city councillors, which is contrary to the view proposed by Deputy Catherine Murphy. The sub-committee also suggested that the Seanad be renewed on a rolling basis, with direct elections, including in higher education constituencies, taking place every five years.
The sub-committee made a variety of radical propositions. However, I do not think we will see them implemented for quite some time.
Some 27 years amounts to a lot of foot dragging.
Sustainable Development Strategy.
Paul McGrath
Ceist:59 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on the progress to date on the national tidy towns competition. [22568/06]
The national Tidy Towns competition for 2006 is now under way. Approximately 650 towns and villages from across Ireland will participate this year. In addition to the main competition, this year also sees a special Tidy Towns initiative for primary schools and over 200 schools have registered. The results will be announced on 4 September at the national awards ceremony in Dublin Castle.
Almost 50 years after it was launched, the Tidy Towns competition continues to play an important role in improving the environment of our towns and villages and promoting active citizenship at all levels. The project has changed as necessary with the times and remains relevant to successive generations without altering its core value of sustainable development.
This year for instance, my Department has introduced a new category to highlight the importance of waste minimisation, one of the most challenging environmental issues facing us today. New prizes have been introduced to recognise the special situation of large towns and urban areas in our cities which have seen dramatic increases in population in recent years. These, with other minor changes, will continue to ensure that Tidy Towns applies to contemporary society as much as it did when it was first launched in 1958.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply and welcome the changes that have been made to the competition, particularly for the larger urban areas. In light of the lack of involvement in community and voluntary organisations, will the Minister of State consider new ways of tackling these problems in the larger towns and cities? In the countryside, in rural villages and so forth, there is no problem with active community involvement but as towns get bigger and the commuting day gets longer, there is less interest in, and support for, the community.
I acknowledge what Deputy O'Dowd is saying and the Department recognises the problem he outlines. As well as the waste minimisation project in the community which aims to involve more people and supplement the race against waste campaign, the Department has also introduced a new overall prize for large urban centres with populations in excess of 15,000. We are anxious to ensure as much involvement in the community within such large urban areas as possible. We see opportunities for areas such as Drogheda, Sligo, Ballymun and Blanchardstown to become involved in the competition. We are also anxious to ensure continuity, which is why we have introduced a special competition for school children. They are encouraged to carry out environmental projects in their communities to inculcate a sense of pride in their areas. They will, at the same time, benefit from the overall tidy town effort.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.