Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to the long awaited Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill which will, among other things, provide a statutory basis for the transition of the Republic of Ireland to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050. If enacted by the Oireachtas, it will be the first item of climate change legislation to be enacted in the history of the State, which, of course, will be a key milestone, one which I believe must be acknowledged by all sides of the House as a positive first step in Ireland's efforts to combat climate change. It must also be noted that, if the legislation is passed, Ireland will be one of only a few EU member states to have dedicated climate change legislation and as such will exhibit the country as being a European leader in dealing with the issue. This targeted change, a national objective of the Government, will have the highest regard for existing international agreements such as the United Nations framework on climate change and our current obligations under EU Law. For example, it will formally oblige the State to adhere to both EU and international climate change targets such as a 20% reduction in emissions by 2020 over 1995 levels. I warmly welcome this aspect of the Bill.

Although this is a new Bill on the topic, this is not the first time climate change and the damaging effects it has on our natural environment have been discussed in the House. I have the privilege to sit on the environment committee and have listened to many submissions by local organisations, companies and members of the public on the damaging effects climate change is having in their daily lives. Those living along the western seaboard are particularly at risk from the changing weather conditions. It is a very worrying topic for my constituents in counties Sligo and Leitrim. I fear that the natural environment we will eventually pass onto our grandchildren will be irreversibly damaged, unless real measures such as those included in the Bill are enacted and adhered to on a global scale. However, I am pleased that the Bill provides our first opportunity as Irish legislators to make attempts to combat the problem in our own country which has been spiralling out of control in recent times. We are setting a strong international example and I firmly believe the Bill will continually be developed and expanded in the coming years.

The overall transition associated with the Irish approach to climate change will be achieved by the introduction of two statutory plans, namely, a national mitigation plan and a national adaption framework. The plan will guide policy on greenhouse gas emission reduction and climate change adaption.

The other major feature of the Bill is the establishment of an expert advisory council called the National Expert Advisory Council on Climate Change. This new body will consist of between nine and 11 members whose aim will be to advise and to make expert recommendations to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. Its chair will be independent but it will include the top officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Teagasc, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute. The introduction of this new body is a vital aspect of the Bill as it will bring all the key stakeholders on the topic together under one umbrella, with the one key goal of advising the Government on the issue of climate change.

While this proposed climate change legislation is largely welcome on many fronts, there are, however, some concerns over certain aspects of the Bill, and there are many who believe it does not go far enough in combating the issue. A number of my concerned constituents have contacted me about the Bill recently to state their fears. Some believe the powers of the National Expert Advisory Council warrant further investigation. It has been said that the body could be ignored by the Government or not listened to, and that the reports it produces may not be taken into account.

Another issue raised with me concerns why there have been no long-term mitigation targets set out in the Bill. While I understand our commitments up to 2020 and that negotiations are in place for the period up to 2030, I believe that longer-term targets would have been beneficial and should be considered. That there has been no definition of what “low carbon” actually means within the context of the Bill is unfortunate. This can and should be changed in the next stage of this Bill’s passage through the Oireachtas.

I am fully supportive of this proposed legislation as it clarifies that Ireland is now fully committed to playing its part in tackling international climate change. We, as legislators, need to stand up for and play our part in protecting our climate and our environment for future generations. It has taken a great deal of time and effort to get the Bill onto the floor of the House. I commend former Minister Phil Hogan and the current Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, and their departmental officials on the work they have done on the Bill. I would appreciate it if the Minister provided the House with further clarity on some of the concerns I have sought to raise here during this debate.

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