Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I would like to come in on that question because those are very pertinent questions and observations. We are straying into the remit of other State agencies. It would be very good to hear what the witnesses have to say about how the remit might be changed. I know it is a sensitive thing, and perhaps more so with the IFI, but our more independent witnesses might have strong views on that and it is important we hear them.

I have become aware in recent days of work on the Newport River, not far from where I come from, which, as I understand it, has been contracted by the Office of Public Works, OPW, and the footage and photos I have seen show what can only be described as devastation of that particular catchment of the river over a couple of kilometres. I am a layperson and I do not have the expertise of Deputies O’Sullivan or Whitmore, who certainly know a great deal more about this than I do, so I can only imagine there must be a massive impact on the ecology of that catchment and a knock-on effect downstream from that catchment. We are into that discussion about how remits should be changed, if they are to change. It is the responsibility of this committee, I presume, to call that out but we need to hear from the likes of the witnesses.