Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá dhá cheist agam. Baineann an chéad ceann leis an Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill. Tá mé ag lorg díospóireacht ar ábhar eile chomh maith. The Taoiseach said we had signed the Istanbul Convention, but we have not brought in the necessary legislation, so we are in breach of a convention we have signed. The Taoiseach said the other day, in response to my question, that the normal course of events would be to bring in legislation first, so I am curious about the sequencing in this matter.

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill is before the Seanad at the moment. In a response to me during questions two weeks ago, the Taoiseach acknowledged that the potential financial penalties facing this State if we failed to meet climate change targets could be as much as €5 billion or €6 billion. He said this was astronomical. The Paris climate change conference will take place next Monday. Will the Taoiseach commit to a debate on the conference, which concludes on 11 December? When does he expect the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill to be brought to the Dáil?

My presumption is that there is a requirement for a Dáil debate before Irish troops can be sent overseas if their number exceeds 12. The French Government has invoked Article 42.7 of the Lisbon treaty following the dreadful attacks in Paris, which states, "If a Member State is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other Member States shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance". The Taoiseach has already publicly indicated a willingness to use Irish troops to replace French troops in Mali. Our party is opposed to the deployment of Irish troops on an EU training mission, as opposed to a UN-designated peacekeeping mission. Will the Taoiseach hold a debate in the Dáil on any decision the Government may take on this issue?

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