Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Catherine Murphy that it is important that all Departments, and particularly the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, act in a co-ordinated and integrated way with my Department on the issue of climate change. The Cabinet sub-committee on climate change holds regular meetings in which we seek to co-ordinate our response and ensure Departments are exploring and, indeed, implementing policies that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and deal with the issue of energy security.

I know the Ceann Comhairle has a personal interest in this matter because he was the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security in the last Dáil, which brought forward draft legislation and a number of meaningful policy documents in this area. We are looking at these in terms of implementing a package of measures to respond to our obligations under the EU.

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