Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for affording me the opportunity to join the committee today. This debate has been really useful and proved to be a very useful tutorial for somebody such as myself.

On the role of local authorities, in the wording of the legislation is there insufficient direction given to local authorities on the interpretation of national climate action plans and how they translate at the most local level into adaptation and mitigation measures? Does either witness have a view on the role of local authorities? Does the wording need to be buttressed or tightened up? I see a role for local authorities. Transport and housing are two key elements of taking carbon out of the equation so the role of local authorities would be important. Slightly tangential to that is the role of public participation. If there is a facility for local authorities to invite members of the public to make submissions then that could be an opportunity for the citizen to engage at the most local level. Can consideration be given to tightening up the wording? Do the witnesses have a perspective on the wording?

We have a climate change advisory committee and there is the Committee on Climate Change in the UK. Let me explain the way I look at the Irish committee. The Professor John FitzGeralds of this world keep us honest. By that I mean, when they talk people listen because they do not have a "political" agenda. To what extent does the UK Houses of Parliament view the UK Committee on Climate Change? Does it have a real beneficial impact in terms of influencing policymakers and Government? Can we learn form the UK experience? Can we translate the lessons learned into a legislative text here that gives greater weight to the Irish climate change advisory committee such that it has more power, better powers of intervention and the power of persuasion? My questions are more philosophical but the witnesses might have perspectives on them.

Finally, I thank both of the witnesses for their submissions to the committee.