Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Walker and his team for taking the trouble to come in. In his opening statement he mentioned that this Bill is an improvement on previous attempts at legislation which would have worked against, rather than alongside, EU policy. Could Mr. Walker explain how previous Bills may have worked against, rather than alongside, EU policy?

This morning we heard the other employers' body, Irish Corporate Leaders on Climate Change. Those witnesses said that they can see the need to use the opportunities to provide certainty in respect of the legislation, clear markers and a clear direction, clear five year targets, clear 2050 targets to give people and investors certainty. Mr. Walker's statement seems to be at variance with that. Why is that so? The future will be very different from the present. Would Mr. Walker agree that if we do not change course now we will lead ourselves into a cul de sac, instead of going down a different road where we use the new realities to develop the opportunities to move towards a more carbon-neutral future?