Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We also believe the process should be speeded up in order to provide for the adoption of the first national mitigation plan. The plan should be adopted within six months of the passing of the Act and not 24 or 18, as currently proposed. We need to do a bit more. I find it hard to credit because, at this rate, 2020 will be on top of us and we will not have done anything. We will be penalised in 2020 for not meeting targets simply because we did not have a plan before the deadline. It does not stack up. Our amendments referring to targets were ruled out of order because someone thought they were going to cost the Exchequer money but not taking action and being inactive will cost the Exchequer money. The Government will be more guilty of costing the Exchequer money that our proposals. Our proposals would save the Government in the long term whereas refusing to act quickly enough will cost the Exchequer money, not to mention the cost to people's lives.

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