Environmental Jobs and Research

Because of its location, Ireland has the potential to be a leader in the development of environmentally friendly energy worldwide. The state could enable a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and become a manufacturer and exporter of renewable energy components.

  • Invest in Renewable Energy Jobs. In Budget 2018, People Before Profit fully costed a €500 million increase in employment generated in renewable energy based industries. This is part of a five year plan to make Ireland a global leader in renewable energy. We also earmarked €500 million for R&D and €400 million for environmentally friendly food production.
  • Update the Water Infrastructure. Decades of underinvestment has left our water infrastructure dangerous and antiquated. In 2018 we proposed spending €400 million on top of Irish Water’s current plan and to move the infrastructure to the top of Global League Tables for water efficiency.
  • Implement Soft Flood Defences. Flooding is a serious environmental issue and a concern for many in Ireland, with lands in many towns and cities regularly at risk. Currently the approach to tackling this is centred around building flood walls along rivers. While these protect certain lands, they do not reduce flood levels, but simply move the flooding problem elsewhere.
    We would implement an environmental programme of soft flood defence measures, supporting the reforestation of river catchments. This would reduce discharge into rivers, lowering the overall flood risk to people and infrastructure, while providing the additional positive impacts that reforestation has on the environment.

A Public Transport Revolution

  • Half fares to create a radical increase in the use of public transport. We would also oversee massive state investment in the public transport systems. Overtime we aspire to making all public transport free.
  • Abolish the National Transport Agency. The NTA is a neoliberal agency whose chief concern is competition and facilitating private for-profit transport companies. The remit of a new state agency will be to provide cheap and efficient public transport that can facilitate the dramatic reduction in the use of private cars from the roads and ensure ease of movement in our towns and cities.
  • Increase the Public Transport Stock. To revolutionise our public transport services People Before Profit would increase bus numbers in both Dublin and Bus Eireann and expand the rail network – including a Western Rail Corridor from Cork to Donegal.
  • Democratise Public Transport. To achieve support for these projects, People Before Profit would involve transport users and local communities in planning new routes with the goal of a dramatic reduction in Co2 emissions from private car usage.