Ms Marie Donnelly:

I thank the Deputy very much indeed for that. The reason we put that in is that the boards of commercial semi-State bodies currently have legal mandates that are heavily commercial and financial and do not include climate considerations. This presents them with a dilemma as regards investment and choices. In the absence of clarity in their legal bases, it can sometimes be very difficult for them to make the right choice. That is why we feel it is very important that commercial semi-State bodies in particular, but also other agencies of government, should have the climate legislation in mind as part and parcel of their mandates so that it can be taken into account in their decisions. I am not too sure whether that must be done through amendments to each relevant Act or whether it could be done across the board. That is a matter for legal people. However, we understand the dilemma posed by some of the current legal bases and this needs to be addressed.