Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On climate change, an emergency has been declared, albeit in the Taoiseach's absence on the day, although I am sure he has embraced it since. Again, the report was just noted. It was the amendments that changed it.

I am not asking Mr. Moran to comment politically but that was the background. That report was being noted before the Dáil so there seems to be a certain lack of urgency - I would use the term "cognitive dissonance". We are one of two countries to declare a climate emergency yet we are one of two countries that will miss their targets. It was the amendments from the various parties that forced the Dáil to do what it did and that is the position now it has been declared. Where is the Department building that into its forecasts? The biodiversity report contained an entire section on the financial implications of what is happening with the loss of biodiversity. The Governor of the Central Bank has said that if we do not deal with it, it will be worse. I am paraphrasing the man. Where is the Department building it in?