Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and the speakers. Our colleague, MEP Mr. Chris McManus, was delighted to vote for the Non-Proliferation of Fossil Fuels Treaty during the week. I echo the comments Deputy Smith made about Egypt and our concerns about human rights. As someone who has been to Egypt and been inside an Egyptian prison, there are major human rights concerns there. While Mr. Murtagh is correct about the agency of people living in Africa to talk for themselves, I have concerns about the ability of Egyptian activists to speak publicly. We should be mindful of that and of any fallout from COP27 for them.

It will be no surprise to members of the committee that my question is about the Energy Charter Treaty, ECT. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, report identified it as a barrier to climate action and that it is not compatible with the Paris Agreement. Italy left in 2016, yet they are still on the hook for €190 million in an investor-state dispute settlement, ISDS, judgment in a case taken by the Rockhopper Exploration oil and gas exploration company. In recent weeks, we have seen EU countries leaving - Poland announced it is going to leave, along with the Netherlands, Spain and, most recently, France. What are the views around Ireland remaining in this treaty? Ahead of COP27, it would a brilliant opportunity for the Minister to announce that we are going to withdraw. I would like to hear the views of the witnesses on that matter.

Even if the EU was to withdraw as a bloc, there are concerns about the Energy Charter Treaty secretariat and its expansion into the global south. A number of African countries such as Burundi, Eswatini and Mauritania are at the ratification process, while Niger, Chad, Gambia, Nigeria and Senegal are at accession stage. The Energy Charter Treaty is actively targeting Kenya as a member country. The long-term viability of the Energy Charter Treaty and the predatory nature of going into the global south while the global north might protect themselves and leave and protect themselves from ISDS challenges is an issue. The fact that it is going into the global south and trying to lock those countries into a fossil fuel future is concerning. I would like to hear the witnesses' views on that.