increased flooding and unprecedented weather events.

Climate disruption can no longer be ignored. We must respond.

The issue is that, at the moment, the polluter does not pay the full price of the damage they are causing. Greenhouse gases, although they come at a huge cost to the environment, are not paid for by those creating them. There is, therefore, no incentive to avoid locking oneself into a pattern with an inefficient heating system, or a high carbon vehicle, for years ahead.

Creating a price for carbon, the most prevalent greenhouse gas, will mean that the cost of the damage will be paid for by the person who is polluting.

Being aware that the price to be paid will escalate from €20 to €80 per tonne over the next decade can have a significant impact on whether people choose to insulate their homes, to switch to heat pumps, or to buy an electric car. We need more than a million people to make those decisions over the coming decade to achieve our target.

Some politicians argue that it is too soon to act in this way. They want to wait until the new public transport networks we are planning are fully built, or the Government has funded the completion of housing upgrades.

To them I say this — the answer came loud and clear from our students last week. We must act now. The window of opportunity to stem the tide of climate disruption is fast closing and we do not have time to wait.

However, we must make clear that the purpose of the carbon price is not to raise money for the Government.

We are committing to refund most or all of the money collected back to people which means that only the people who have very carbon intensive patterns of living will lose out. Some of the revenue can also be made available to support the sort of changes people need to make.

Already people can get a 30% grant for improving the heating of their home, with 100% of the cost covered for low-income families, while €10,000 is available for those switching to an electric vehicle.

The Government will publish a clear roadmap in the coming weeks to show how we can meet our climate obligations. However, the Government can’t get the job done on its own. It can take the lead and help with incentives and nudges. However, it is only through widescale buy-in by citizens taking up the challenge thrown down by our children that we can actually deliver.

The Government also has a responsibility to help people who may be acutely affected by the transition which we need to achieve. We shall stand ready to help those on low incomes or those isolated in old or remote buildings. Communities are already being mobilised to act together and protect those who are vulnerable.

For Ireland to say it is too soon to pay for the damage we do is unsustainable, especially when you realise that poorer countries who have never had a chance for development are shouldering their responsibility.

The compelling message coming from 90-year-old David Attenborough and 16-year-old Greta Thunberg is clear: We must act now before it’s too late.