Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 27 April 2021

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised)

Photo of Steven MatthewsSteven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My question is on Vote 2 - the shared island unit and climate action unit. The Green Party in Northern Ireland has introduced the Northern Ireland climate change Bill. It is timely that the Green Party, as an all-island political party, is front and centre in introducing transformative and ambitious climate action legislation. I understand the Bill is on Committee Stage today. I am fairly sure there are people who will oppose the science and the required net zero target of that Bill.

In his opening statement, the Taoiseach spoke about interconnectedness. Nothing connects us more than the natural environment. There are issues of climate change that will affect us as an island. The climate environment knows no borders. How important is it that Northern Ireland adopts the net zero target in context with the ambition stated here and in the UK?

On the shared island unit and the climate change unit, will the Taoiseach update us on the negotiations or work that has been ongoing to ensure we have all-island climate action?

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