Mr. Ross Fitzpatrick:

Senator Higgins mentioned that the lack of the inclusion of an obligation to climate transition plans would be disproportionate to the risk. I would actually go further. If this omnibus proposal gets through, it would essentially codify greenwashing because it is providing companies with the option to come up with these plans and not implement them.

I cannot think of any word that is appropriate for that other than greenwashing. There is a huge reputational risk here for Ireland as a country that has continually played a strong role in climate diplomacy, and prides itself on that, every year at the COP. There is a reputational risk here in respect of not standing up for this at the Council level. Ireland should play a much more constructive role than it currently does and should push for the inclusion of strong climate provisions, which it still has the opportunity to do. It has not done so thus far. No member state has stood up and asked for climate provisions to be implementable. There is a real opportunity for Ireland to lead on this, even where unanimity is not required. That kind of political leadership and moral clarity can make a difference in shaping the tone of EU debates and Ireland needs to be much stronger in that regard.