Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to give false expectation or show any disrespect to the committee. To answer Deputy Whitmore's question, this is critical legislation and it is critical that it gets passed quickly because we want to include this year in the first of the five-year plans. We want to go to Glasgow being as far advanced as we can be in terms of our climate action plans. The critical work for this committee, in my mind, will come in delivering the provisions that are already set out in the legislation. There is a real, significant and important role for the committee as we go into the sectoral analysis and review of the carbon budget, the strategy and the climate action plan. At every stage in that process, I would like to see as extensive an engagement as possible with members. The work published today by the committee on the transport sector, to give an example, is hugely significant and very well considered. We need to do more of that type of work. That will happen in the autumn, if we can get this legislation through both the Dáil and Seanad in advance of the summer recess, which is the timeline I am hoping to make.

There is no disrespect to the committee on my part, or lack of recognition of the important work it has to do. I am working on the basis of the advice from my Department and the Attorney General's office. We have considered every single amendment. I do not want to give false expectation that there is a strong likelihood of amendments being agreed. That is not the case. My approach is on the basis of an assessment of each amendment on its merits and considering, as I said, the balancing act we have to do in terms of what is already very well-amended legislation.

I will refer to my speaking notes a lot because this is highly complex in many instances. There is no expectation within those speaking notes that we will be accepting the amendments. At the same time, we will listen and adjust if a compelling argument is made. However, as we set out I should be honest with members that this is the recommendation I am getting from my Department.