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

Work on developing provisions of progressive climate legislation is at an advanced stage and I will issue outline heads shortly for consideration by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and stakeholders. The short period of additional time which I am taking before issuing the outline heads of the Bill is related to the importance of ensuring that we get the proposed provisions right; that is the absolute priority. It will also provide the opportunity for me to bring forward the final climate policy analysis report from the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, secretariat to be released in tandem with the heads of Bill. As I have stated previously, I envisage a central role for the joint committee in the policy development process, most importantly on the critical issue of coming to a clear national understanding of how to meet our binding EU and wider international mitigation commitments, as well as pursuing our national objectives in a low carbon global economy.

From the outset of the programme on the development of national climate policy and legislation which I announced in January 2012, I have been very open that there are no easy answers to the greenhouse gas mitigation chal lenge we face. My intention is to ensure that the ultimate decision on the way forward will be taken on the basis of a fair hearing for all stakeholders and will provide a platform for a strong stakeholder and wider society consensus on the fundamental objective of becoming a low carbon, climate resilient society with a competitive low carbon economy over the period to 2050.

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