Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly: Discussion (Resumed)

6:30 pm

Mr. David Joyce:

I will take a couple of questions and then hand over to my colleagues. I might take the easier ones first. On whether we have accepted the science, we did not put the science in our opening statement because we are gone beyond a discussion on whether or not this is happening, so I will not spend any more time on that.

On the matter of what kind of structure would be used, we have used the word "forum", but I have seen transition commission and other descriptions. The Deputy is correct. The light is currently shining in the midlands but it is clearly a national question. We have no objection to a national just transition commission. It would not be led by us but we would participate in it. A key point in our opening statement is that this is about involving the relevant stakeholders in a commission which, frankly, should be led by Government which is responsible.