I wanted to assure Deputy Collins that I represent the hard-working women and men of Dublin Bay North but he ran out before I could do so. I welcome the opportunity to speak about the supply constraints we are experiencing as a result of the fuel crisis. Brent crude is now at $114 a barrel, down slightly from $126 a barrel earlier this week but it remains very high. The World Bank expects energy prices to go up 24% this year, the highest level of increase since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, even if the most acute disruptions caused by the war ease in May, and there is no guarantee that will happen. The energy crisis has laid bare our dependency on fossil fuels. The answer is clear - we must get away from fossil and accelerate the take-up of renewable. While it is welcome that the construction sector is included in the Government's package, it reaffirms how vulnerable construction is to global oil price shocks. That sector must be central to the decarbonisation debate. Construction and the built environment account for over one third of our carbon emissions. Our commitment to new housing is very important and presents a significant challenge in reducing emissions across the sector, as modern building methods are very carbon intensive. Last October, our committee heard from stakeholders in construction about how we could break down barriers to meeting emissions targets in construction. The urgent need to provide incentives to decarbonise construction sites was clear. A big practical gap remains on those sites, in that heavy plant machinery and temporary power still use a lot of diesel, with electric and alternative fuel options not yet viable for smaller organisations without Government support. On-site generators run for more or less the full working day, contributing significantly to emissions. Support for EVs, battery storage systems and HVO-fuelled equipment as alternatives to diesel on site represent a positive short-term step that the Government could take to tackle rising fuel costs and meet our climate objectives. We also had the haulage industry at the committee. The Ceann Comhairle would have a good knowledge of the haulage industry. What was really clear was that, with the exception of more efficient diesel engines, there was no clear way for long-haul haulage to decarbonise. It is vital that we find a way to do that. Batteries are heavy and have to be hauled long distances. Hydrogen was spoken about as a possibility but we do not seem to be there yet. We need to recognise the new reality that even if America and Iran each an agreement to reopen that strait, it will take time for the oil market to return to normal. Oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf has been wrecked by all warring parties. Even if it all stops tomorrow, it will take years for that to be rebuilt. Supply will not recover overnight and the burden on households and businesses will persist. We cannot afford to wait for the market to deal with this. The case for accelerating our transition to renewable energy has never been stronger.

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