Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The first recommendation of the Citizens' Assembly was that, as a matter of urgency, a new or existing independent body should be resourced to look into this issue. It is apparent that Departments are not working interdependently or cross-sectorally on climate change. If an independent body was set up, as recommended by the assembly, it would have longevity unlike Governments, which change. Why does the advisory council believe it may not be necessary to have an independent body? Given the scale and urgency of the problem we face, is it not better to have a properly resourced independent body with teeth to go after the Departments? The witnesses indicated that was not the remit of the advisory council. The independent body would be charged with putting pressure on Departments to create some coherency because policy at the moment is all over the place. Departments are not working together. We need a body tasked with ensuring we have a long-term pathway rather than dealing only with short-term problems. In addition, the body would have the teeth to go after Departments to make sure they deliver.