Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The grouping also contains amendment No. 596 in the names of Deputies Duffy, O'Callaghan and Ó Broin and amendment No. 612 in the name of Deputy Ó Broin.

Amendment No. 366, which is Deputy Duffy’s amendment, and amendments Nos. 596 and 612 relate to whole-life carbon emissions. This is a complex area that is, from a data point of view, at an early stage of development, particularly when this is applied to a complex area such as the built environment. I note the report by this committee on embodied carbon, published in October 2022. This detailed report focused on the issue of embodied carbon and the positive role that building materials can play. These matters are not directly related to plan-making. Furthermore, issues such as the baseline for measurement are not fully defined. However, I recognise the need to reduce carbon emissions.

Development plan policy is one that takes a series of legitimate but disparate inputs that create a framework that promotes sustainable development and takes measures to reduce our carbon emissions, such as promoting compact urban growth. In view of this, I consider that the Bill as drafted is reasonable and balanced and sets a framework to proactively reduce our carbon emissions. Therefore, I cannot accept these amendments.