Ms Sadhbh O'Neill:

I have just one observation. The climate Act gives this committee powers of scrutiny. The committee has exercised that function very well, but it will be possible to perhaps align some of that scrutiny around the calendar and the policy cycle. For example we know that the Climate Change Advisory Council is now going to publish it annual review in stages. The first of these reports came out yesterday. The next one is due later this month. There will then be a further few reports, with five or so coming out up to October. If the committee is in a position to align the scrutiny of those reports in a timely fashion, it can contribute to the policy planning cycle in a timely fashion as well. That will include the work on the NECPs. The Deputy made a point about public consultation. It can easily become a bit of a tick-box exercise, but, nonetheless, as Dr. Brennan mentioned - and as the Deputy said earlier - the Department received more than 40 submissions on the draft NECP, which we were critical of. There is considerable interest in the public sphere in these documents. As we go along I imagine there would be even more scrutiny and more attention paid to them. It would be beneficial from our point of view - I am speaking for myself but I am sure my colleagues would agree - if there were fewer consultations and more attention given to the actual submissions made, and more dialogue with stakeholders. If it were possible to align this in a way that does not in any way compromise our legal responsibilities it would be to the benefit of everybody. The main thing is that there is a process set out in the climate Act. If it is followed it opens up many opportunities for this committee and for our other stakeholders to engage constructively in the policy planning process as we go along.