Ms Sharon Finegan:

I am happy to answer the question on emissions limits relating to licensing in broad terms. The Deputy asked whether we see an expanded role for the EPA. I earlier gave a sense of the areas for which the EPA is currently responsible in this space. There are many spaces in which there is a significant role for us, whether with the team I have with me today in the context of the preparation of inventories and projections or through the work we are doing on climate science. More broadly, as the Deputy mentioned, the operation of the consenting regime for licensing throughout the State is in itself a mechanism for the reducing emissions within agreed and statutory boundaries. Significant elements of the EPA's core function have meaningful and tangible impacts in this space. As for an expanded role for the EPA, a number of measures have been identified for us under the existing climate action plan. I see a role for us in terms of communicating with the public and encouraging an understanding that the national dialogue on climate action is important. As we talk through the transition and what will be required from the State, its organs and at an individual level, the EPA sees itself has having a role in how we communicate with the public and understand the best structures for doing what I have outlined.

The Deputy asked whether we have any specific asks of the Government. I do not think we do at the moment. We have a well-established process for engaging with our two parent Departments in respect of both funding and staffing. Discussions on those issues are ongoing.

I might ask Mr. Treacy to comment in a moment on inventories and projections and how we can take assurance from the methodologies we employ to determine whether the inventories are accurate. In the reporting the agency does, we are the competent authority and we report at both EU and UN level. As a result, we are required to have those methodologies reviewed and so on. That external analysis and checking provides significant comfort throughout the agency. In addition, the inputs that come in to the inventories come from a broad range of actors, including, for example, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, and Teagasc regarding agriculture. There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise throughout the system that the agency taps into for the preparation of these documents.

On oversight more generally and licensing, I do not have any specific information about waste. Under the licensing regime, the specific conditions placed on any licenser are done with regard to the best available technology and emission limit values. Those issues are considered when a licence is granted and it operates to the best available science to support decision-making for those involved in the decision-making process.

On the question about the assessment of agriculture and whether the equation is assessed correctly, I think the Deputy was referring to some of the features of Irish agricultural life that may not be evident in other countries, such as hedgerows and so on, and our capacity to account properly for the sequestration potential of Ireland's unique landscape. The agency has invested significant time and effort to try to understand that better. It is an area where the science is developing and where there is a considerable building up of knowledge and development of research. Nevertheless, we recognise there is much room for improvement and it is an area of focus for us. We would support having a land-use map for the country, for example. We recognise that there is more work to be done in this regard.

I will pass over to Mr. Treacy on the question about inventories and projections. He might mention some of the parameters relating to the considerations of how we might count hedgerows, for example.