Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)

I have a number of other questions. This is our core focus. There is another piece that is missing. There were a few elements assumed and not assumed in the draft budgets. There was a failure to include the fact that the US had left the Paris Agreement. We have the 51% and the ultimate objective of doing our part. Does the Minister believe we will need to consider substantially increasing effort-sharing to maintain that ultimate objective without the US?

There is another assumption in the draft budgets relating to the idea of all land being rewetted appropriately. All of their land-use scenarios involve rewetting. Peat extraction is a serious issue in that context. Will the Minister comment on that?

The next question flows from that. We have declared a climate emergency. The Minister was in government at the time. What emergency measures is he looking at in order to address what is required? He said countries should be encouraged to invest further but rather than waiting to be encouraged, surely we should invest far more significantly now to avoid fines. One hundred and sixty something million on just transition seems very small next to a potential €20 billion in fines.

Accountability is at the core. What accountability will there be for Departments and Ministers who fail to reach their 2025 targets? Will it be manifested in their budgets? Will there be consequences in terms of areas of control? How do we ensure Departments deliver for 2030, particularly if they do not deliver their 2025 targets?