Fiach MacConghail (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Three issues emerge through the presentations. One is the notion of targets in primary and secondary legislation. Mr. Stevenson said this was an annual target. There are suggestions here of sectoral road maps and targets of five to seven years. Can Mr. Stevenson comment on the political and operational challenges in that?

Head six refers to the national expert advisory body. There has been discussion on whether this should have greater teeth and authority and whether it should be allowed to publish its annual report without the consent of the Government. Perhaps Mr. Stevenson can tease out this issue in respect of the challenges he faced and his view on it. I also am aware that he may not want to comment on what is happening here but it would be helpful to get his political experience.

The third matter refers to the debate on binding targets and achieving them, which is the holistic responsibility of the Government. All Departments will have targets to achieve within a certain time.

In what Department did the binding targets for the Scottish Parliament lie? Was there a debate around it? For us, it is in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government but there have been suggestions that it should be the Department of the Taoiseach, which is our Prime Minister's Department. Mr. Stevenson might have a view on that.