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

Currently the Department is carrying out work with the SEAI to come up with a measurement of embodied carbon, which is very important. That policy has not been fully settled yet. Once that review is done and if it proposes including it in planning legislation, the Minister whoever it is, will look at it at that point. Certainly, if I were the Minister, I would be looking at it at that point. As it stands, it is still a building control measure. I cannot pre-empt the outcome of the review the Department is doing. As matters stand, we need to come up with a measurement of embodied carbon.

Inconsistencies in planning interpretations by local authorities are a big factor for me. Like many of the members present, before becoming a Minister of State I did a lot of work on planning issues. It is what we have always done as public representatives at every level, working with people applying and residents in areas. It is doing what one would normally do. Again, it must operate in practice. We believe it is a building control measure. Legislation will always require that something be built in compliance with building standards. That is standard within any legislation.

Regarding the process at the moment and these amendments, the policy has not been fully defined yet. We need to do it having regard to the directives that are coming in. We would like to have that work done well in advance of the statutory date. Once that work is complete, obviously we will look again at legislation to underpin that.

On the other amendments the Deputy has tabled, we will go back and consider them for inclusion on Report Stage to reflect the intent of the climate action plan. I have nothing further to add.