Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know. I will answer the Deputy's question. Let me give it a bit of context here. The reality is that one cannot put that question in isolation. Asked in isolation, it is not given the context of when this event would occur. When such a situation would occur is clearly outlined in paragraphs (a) and (b). This would be potentially an extreme event where the State has to respond and a government has to respond with the approval of the Government. The committee will get what we are talking about here. This could be a national emergency where a response is needed and required. All other elements of the development plan, like normal development plans, would absolutely proceed. The role of councillors would absolutely proceed. The Deputy will see that it is outlined there very clearly how that would work. This is a new provision.

It would allow a government to issue an urgent direction to vary a development plan. It is the correct and prudent provision to have. The Deputy is presenting this on the basis that he thinks it is something that I am going to use, or any future Minister is going to use, on an ongoing basis and go back to the government of the day and say this or that is urgent. A very high bar is set for this. We must plan for the future. We have rightly talked at length about the climate challenge we have as a State, a continent and a world. There may be elements of the climate crisis to which the State must adapt and that requires it to act very quickly to events or national emergencies. This provision is absolutely appropriate. It is correct to include it and it should be there. Including something such as this, a provision that would be used in very extreme cases where the State or a region of it has a specific emergency, is the right and proper thing to do.