Government’s lack of ambition on Climate Action is dissapointing
Labour Spokesperson on Climate Action, Seán Sherlock TD, has recommended that government strengthen the power of the Climate Change Advisory Council.
Deputy Sherlock highlighted the slow rate of necessary retrofitting of homes and public buildings as just one example of how this government lacks ambition on environmental issues and continues to ignore recommendations from the opposition and statutory bodies on how to tackle climate change.
Deputy Sherlock said;
“We have recommendations from the Climate Change Advisory Council in the area of deep retrofitting housing stock. We need that plan put into practice.”
“There are currently 1.5 million homes in Ireland which need retrofitting. It is the recommendation of the Climate Action Advisory Council that homes need to retrofitted at a pace of 100,000 homes annually. Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland is managing around 30,00 retrofitting on an annual basis. While the National Development Plan has set a target of 45,000 per annum.
“Both of these falls short of the recommendations of the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is setting the ambitious targets that the Government needs to keep pace with. The Climate Change Advisory Council needs to be empowered to work towards carbon neutrality in all sectors of Irish industry and life. This is a golden opportunity for this and future generations and we should not waste it.”