Mr. Frank Maughan:

The Deputy has touched on a range of different issues between the NECP, the long-term strategy and the climate legislation. I am aware that the committee has sought to invite the Minister to meet it to discuss the NECP in the coming weeks. Both the NECP and the long-term strategy are to be submitted to the European Union by the end of this year and work on both is ongoing. The Deputy has identified the issue of consultation. It is the Department's position to consult on the draft final NECP before it is submitted but also very soon on the long-term strategy. In regard to the climate action Bill, it is probably too soon to start talking about the Bill as, obviously, it has not been prepared yet and is still being worked on. To go back to the statements in the climate action plan in the context of the Bill, there is very much a commitment there would be incorporation of a long-term target within the legislation, and that is specifically set out in the climate action plan.

The Deputy asked about consistency and coherence with regard to the Paris Agreement. It is certainly the objective of the European Union in the legislation that has been prepared, which sets out the requirement for member states to produce a long-term strategy, that those strategies should be consistent with achievement of the Paris Agreement objectives. That is the basis we are working on.