Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I thank our guests for their comprehensive opening statements and fulsome answers to the questions that have been asked. The Chairman and Deputy O'Rourke may have been looking over my shoulder when I was writing down my questions earlier. They are probably the obvious questions in respect of the role and function of our guests in the context of climate action.

I have a couple of questions for Councillor Crossan. First, I thank him for speaking to us. I am a former local authority member in Fingal. One of the issues that arose in terms of the training that was made available to local authority members is that the level of that training and the accreditation that was offered by that training was never perhaps where it should be. I appreciate things have changed since I left the local authority in 2011. Does Mr. Crossan feel, given his extensive experience, that this is still present and that there might be a difficulty in regard to regulated accredited training for members in their function, particularly as it relates to climate action?

I have a similar question, which I feel has been answered, in terms of identifying the roles that are going to be needed across local authority level, within the local authorities themselves and within their workforce. Notwithstanding the identified figure and the sum which Mr. Mellett has given us, we are now moving very rapidly. Identifying the individuals and then identifying the budget we will need to acquire them, so to speak, is fantastic. However, are we going to achieve the target of actually getting the expertise into the local authorities if any particular local authority does not have that level of expertise available to it?

Related to the Chairman's opening salvo of questions regarding a possible lack of willingness at local authority level among members, do we need to consider a legislative change in regard to the process of providing pedestrianisation, cycle tracks and other climate-friendly measures, as I consider them, that local authorities are trying to achieve in certain places? There are process issues that have been identified with certain applications as opposed to local authorities making a democratic decision not to proceed with a particular scheme, which is a different thing.

In regard to the local authorities’ role in improving biodiversity, the Chairman mentioned one-off housing. I would go a little further than the Chairman in saying that there is a middle ground but there is no line in some local authorities, whereas in others it is an absolute and they are just not provided anymore, certainly not in the same way they were provided in my time. I think there is a middle ground to be found where a carbon-neutral or low-carbon property can be delivered. The Chairman mentioned chimneys being put back in and things like that. This is just as frustrating as seeing A-rated new properties with gas boilers, and I have come across those in recent times as well. It is incredibly frustrating.

Are local authorities adequately equipped to properly administer our rivers and lakes? I reference to a certain extent the river basin management draft, which is on public display at present. There are many examples where local authorities are either unable or unwilling - probably unable - to fulfil their functions, and I am not just talking about my own constituency or county but others that I have read about and am aware of. Is that going to be a problem in the future in terms of clean-ups, including discharges into our rivers and lakes, and the impact that can have on flora and fauna, water, aquatic life and the general quality of land surrounding our lakes and rivers?

There is a broad range of questions there to top up what had already been asked by the Chair and Deputy O'Rourke.