Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 38 seeks to delete the word "Government" and substitute the word "Oireachtas". This is important because Governments come and go and, as we see in the economics sphere, they take their line from a very small, elusive and distant group of people such as economic management councils. Even within Cabinet a very small group, basically four people, set economic policy. It is important the whole of the Oireachtas has an input and that the whole process is debated in this House. It is important that Departments and sectors are held accountable by the Oireachtas.

Addressing climate change will take the efforts of all sectors of society and there is no one sector, whether supporters of Government or Opposition, which will change it. Instead, it will be the people we all represent, either as Opposition Members or as Members of the Government benches, as Independents, members of Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or the Labour Party. That is the reason I am putting forward my amendment No. 38.

My amendment No. 52 makes the same point and suggests the insertion of "both Houses of the Oireachtas" after "Government". Very few of us would disagree that the Seanad needs reform but hopefully it will, in the future, be more representative. It is the Upper House and the Chamber which applies checks and balances to what happens in this House. It gives a second view. It is important that both Houses of the Oireachtas have an input and it is important both can scrutinise what is happening with climate change. One might question whether the Seanad represents various sectors, as it is supposed to do now, but hopefully it will do so after the changes brought in by new Seanad proposals. They will not happen before the next Seanad elections but I hope the elections after that will be to a reformed Seanad, which our party fully supports. Hopefully, its Members will then bring the various sectors of Irish society with us.

The Government came into power on the promise of a democratic revolution which is now a well-worn cliché but the Minister has the opportunity today to put his words into action and open up the process. He should not feel threatened by the Opposition as the people on the Opposition benches want to play their part on climate change. We want to do that within our own communities and to give leadership in the Chamber by making sure there is legislation in place which is fit for purpose. The Minister does not have anything to fear from the Opposition benches on this matter because, if anything, we are even more concerned about climate change than Government Deputies and Ministers. This is a real opportunity to give a little bit of power to, and to include, Members right across the Chamber by involving the full Dáil in the process of dealing with climate change. I ask the Minister, not in a cynical way but in a very honest way, to accept amendments Nos. 38 and 52.

On the first occasion he addressed the Dáil as a Minister, he said he wanted to leave a legacy. Here is an opportunity-----

See this speech in context