Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 11 June 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Financial Implications of the Petroleum and Other Minerals (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion

Photo of Seán CanneySeán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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I repeat that I first brought to the attention of the committee last November that there were issues with finance. It has not just happened in the past few weeks. I do not anything underhand. I stated it then and again in the Dáil that I had concerns in that regard.

I am delighted to talk to committee members about the Bill. I have listened to their discussion. As I said, the Bill is well intentioned, but it is being brought forward on its own without a full plan for how we will do things. We have to accept that we have a long-term challenge that we need to meet to achieve a net carbon neutral economy. We should consider our future energy supply and energy consumption, including Ireland's exploration and production, in an holistic and strategic manner. We have to do this. I put it to the committee, not disrespectfully, that the Bill is not the right way to go about it. It is a stand-alone measure that does not consider the wider implications. It will not make Ireland any more carbon efficient. Our efforts should focus on the plan to reduce Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions which is to be announced shortly by the Government. There are difficult decisions to be made by everybody and there are challenges to be rolled out to reduce emissions. I look forward to the committee's support in that regard. I thank members for their contributions.