Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I support amendments Nos. 266 and 267. Amendment No. 267 mentions the Valletta Convention, which is very important, but also our obligations under the Aarhus Convention and United Nations sustainable development goals. Amendment No. 266 seeks a report within 12 months on the conservation and protection of national monuments. I think all of us are agreed that what we are covering in this Bill is very important. All of us in this room will agree that sustainable development goals are very important. Climate action and low-carbon development is very important. These are good, detailed reporting amendments that Deputy Ó Broin has put forward with good timelines showing that these issues are urgent.

The Minister of State's amendment, while I absolutely accept that it is better than nothing, proposes to wait five years until there is a review and then there is no specification of these very important issues. We are facing an existential threat as a world in terms of climate change and we are not progressing at the speed we need at all. The Minister of State has an amendment that proposes five years and then does not even mention issues such as climate action and low-carbon development. Why does he think five years makes sense given the emergency we are in? Why will he not accept the excellent and more specific amendments Nos. 266 and 267?