Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Hogan and his team for their insight today. I listened to the briefing earlier. All of the data provided today have been much appreciated. I believe the ten-year development plan is a better method for planning ahead, in that things can be put in place. I know that two-year processes are seriously burdensome on local authorities due to the amount of work they have to turn around.

I have two questions and I will provide some background on them. The first question relates to climate targets and the transition process we are in to decarbonise transport, agriculture, energy and the construction sector. I have an interest in the construction sector and embodied carbon. As a subject I find it is low on the agenda. Significantly, 14% of Ireland's CO2 emissions come from embodied carbon, effectively in the construction sector. Sweden, Denmark, France, Finland and the Netherlands have pioneering new regulations in place to mandate the consideration of embodied carbon. Even in the United States, embodied carbon has become a factor in national policy. In December 2022, President Biden unveiled an executive order for the US Government to achieve net zero emissions across its operations. I have been pushing this agenda during my three years in the Dáil, but it seems the Department is not moving on this. I know it might not be part of this Act and I will ask those questions. The Department is saying it will begin looking at it in 2027, which is quite alarming to be honest. In that context, last year this committee had a number of sessions on embodied carbon and drew up a report on it. Both Mr. Ciarán O'Connor, the Office of Public Works State architect, and Mr. Pat Barry of the Irish Green Building Council agreed that we would be in a position to begin measurement of embodied carbon in the first quarter of this year, which is now. We are not even getting close to it. Does the Bill include any provisions for reducing embodied carbon? Second, when and where within the planning system do Mr. Hogan and his team see that measurement being introduced? For example, when an applicant applies for permission, where do they see the measurement being submitted?