Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their contributions. There are always incredibly interesting contributions when academics and scientists appear before the committee. There is so much to learn.

I will pick up on something Professor Sweeney said on the fact that the climate emergency was only referenced once. I assure him that everybody on this committee and, I am sure, the CCAC realises that we are in the midst of a climate emergency. There is absolutely no doubt about that. That is reflected in the speed with which we have introduced the climate action Bill and are trying to agree these carbon budgets. We are well aware that we are in the middle of a climate emergency. I just wanted to point that out.

I ask for clarification from the witnesses on whether they are saying that they disagree with the 4.8% figure for the first budget period, in particular, and the 8.3% figure, in addition to the assessment of the carbon budget committee of the Climate Change Advisory Council? I imagine that they tuned in to yesterday's session of this committee when members of the CCAC discussed the deliberations and debate they had in coming to that figure of 4.8% for the first period. We had contributions from the likes of Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir, Dr. Hannah Daly, Dr. David Styles, Mr. Trevor Donnellan, Dr. Kevin Hanrahan, Professor Lisa Ryan, Ms Patricia King, Professor Peter Thorne and Ms Marie Donnelly, among others. They stressed that there were deliberations and debate back and forth, but they believed this was the best route and trajectory to take. They referenced issues such as the social, economic and just transition factors. The fact that in the second half of the budget period-----