Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The rest of my amendments in this grouping are on environment and climate and the checks and balances that need to be applied. Amendment No. 724 relates to consultation prior to a request under section 135, which relates to extensions and alterations to planning permission. Section 134(5)(c) states:

(c) advise the person who made the application under subsection (1) regarding the considerations, related to the following matters, that may, in the opinion of the deciding authority, have a bearing on its decision: (i) the impact of the proposed development on the environment;

I suggest adding "and climate" after "environment" in subparagraph (i).

Amendments Nos. 1056 to 1058, inclusive, also propose adding the words "and climate" to consideration of the environment. It relates to oral hearings and others. Amendments Nos. 1155 and 1169 propose adding "and climate" to consideration of the environment relating to SDZ or UDZ planning schemes.

Amendment No. 1191 is to Schedule 5 and conditions relating to reducing greenhouse gases. We have had considerable discussion on climate. I welcome the Minister of State's commitments that we will strengthen the climate and biodiversity action parts of the Bill. This is what these amendments relate to.

Amendment No. 763 relates to the revocation of planning permission. It is with regard to the start of section 144 on the revocation or modification of permission by a Minister. The Minister can liaise with the Ministers for Justice, Foreign Affairs and Defence, and Health on the revocation of development where the permission is likely to be harmful to the security or defence of the State, the State's relations with other states or public health. I suggest that we add climate and environment to this list. This means that in section 144 we would have to include the Minister for the environment and climate action.

I do not know whether the Minister of State has any comment to make on these amendments. I take from the previous discussion we had that he will look at how we can craft climate into this a little better.