Bacik welcomes publication of National Mitigation Plan

19 July 2017

Seanad Group Leader, Spokesperson on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment

Labour spokesperson on Climate Action and the Environment, Senator Ivana Bacik, has welcomed the publication of the new National Mitigation Plan but is calling on the Government to commit to more substantive measures to tackle climate change.

Senator Bacik commented:

"I welcome the publication of today's plan on climate action, and hope it indicates a new impetus by Government to start prioritising the issue.

“While many of the 106 proposed actions could be described as aspirational, it is welcome nonetheless to see a commitment to moving Ireland in the right direction, particularly as we are one of only two European countries that will miss our 2020 emission targets.

“Our progress on energy efficiency so far has come from ‘low hanging fruit’, the lower cost, more accessible measures such as attic insulation.

“It is therefore encouraging to see Government commit to the expansion of Local Authority energy upgrades for social housing. However we also need to ensure larger amounts of more durable energy savings from large scale projects such as the deep renovation of buildings, and more sustainable new builds.

“I am also encouraged by a commitment to funding public transport and cycling infrastructure. The Labour Party has long been calling for improvement on this front, including a proposal to consider an 8-10 year project to deliver the full development of the cycle networks in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford."