Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. The purpose of these amendments is to enshrine the independence of the advisory council into law. It is very much based on the statutory framework for the Fiscal Advisory Council. The amendment is modelled on a provision in the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 and section 8(1) of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012. If it is sufficiently important to enshrine the independence of the Fiscal Advisory Council in law, I do not see why there would not be a similar logic to doing so for the climate advisory council. We are talking about the future of humanity and I, therefore, think it is sufficiently important. To quote Friends of the Earth on the subject:

The independence of the Fiscal Advisory Council is underpinned by law. The same protection is essential for the Climate Advisory Council, especially with ex-officio members who might otherwise be looking over their shoulders to their Boards and stakeholders.

That is essentially it. I am not sure if it was the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, or the Minister who signalled on Committee Stage a preparedness to incorporate this provision into the legislation. I hope the Minister of State will not oppose the amendment and that I will not need to say anything further on it because the talk on Committee Stage was that it was going to be accepted.

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