Fiach MacConghail (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will be quick because some of the questions have already been answered. I thank Professor Kirby for his passionate presentation. I enjoyed his last book, written with Mary Murphy. It was very incisive.

I will not go near targets because they are clear, but I wish to pick up on a point Deputy Humphreys made about section 10 under head 5. Professor Kirby would take much of it out. He said it was laudatory and wonderful but his view was that it misses the overall point. I read his submission and I wish to tease out one of his recommendations. It stated that no conditions should be included which appeared to make the achievement or the objectives of the Bill subservient to economic growth and development. That is a rather radical and explosive statement. Will Professor Kirby respond on that? Will he elaborate on his final recommendation? He referred to the need to give equal weight to the achievement of a low carbon society and a low carbon economy. He does not elaborate on that greatly in his submission. Will he address that point, because there is, perhaps, a possibility that this could be included in the Bill?