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

I move amendment No. 136:

In page 18, to delete lines 7 to 10 and substitute the following:“(i) progress towards achievement of—

(I) annual targets,

(II) the interim target,

(III) the 2050 target,

(ii) whether the annual targets, the interim target or the 2050 target are likely to be achieved,

(iii) any further effort which may be necessary to achieve annual targets, the interim target or the 2050 target.”.

The purpose of this amendment is to put more solid terms of reference in the periodic reviews. It is about specifying progress towards the achievement of annual targets, interim targets and the 2050 target. Although there is a certain semblance of déjà vuabout the amendment, we are re-tabling it because the terms of reference for the reviews are practically non-existent in the Bill as it stands. There are no references to targets, so the reviews might as well not be conducted at all. They are somewhat purposeless unless one has a starting point. This is especially so, as the national transition objective, which is the current reference point for the reviews' content, is not fleshed out in any detail in the Bill. If one does not know what the starting point is, how does one know what one is reviewing? How does one know the goal that one is ultimately trying to reach?

The amendment seeks to give some purpose and weight to the reviews that we have stated are so important for the advisory council to carry out. While we had a lengthy discussion about who would make up the advisory council, the nature of their independence and so on, we have not given adequate input into what are their objectives. The amendment therefore seeks to make the terms of reference of the periodic reviews more substantial and relevant than the nothingness that exists at the moment.

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