Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)

I thank all the witnesses for coming in and giving us the benefit of their knowledge. As they will be aware, over recent weeks we have been discussing the method by which we are going to be calculating our carbon emissions and that the Climate Change Advisory Council is proposing to move from a Paris test, which we have used for the past five years, to using a temperature neutrality test for the next five years. This new test allows for increased levels of methane. It is said that it protects high-emitting sectors such as the agriculture sector from making the same level of cuts to their emissions than they would have made under the Paris test. What I am interested to know is the witnesses' views on the Paris test as opposed to the climate neutrality test. Have they lobbied the Climate Change Advisory Council? I know Teagasc sits on the Climate Change Advisory Council. Has it proposed to the council that it would change its method from the Paris test to the temperature neutrality test? Has either the Department or Teagasc been lobbied by external organisations or individuals in respect of moving from one test to another? That is really what I am looking to hear from the witnesses.