Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not want any misunderstanding. To be clear, I am not taking responsibility for delivery across all Departments. I have been given the job of developing a plan. In this case it will be about holding other Departments to account. It will be as much the Taoiseach's responsibility as my own to oversee delivery. I cannot go to every Department and tell them what to do.

The Deputy is absolutely right. We need to create a framework in which we can start to address this collectively. Carbon must be factored into every decision we take. It was promising to hear the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform state that the price of carbon in public spending decisions ought to be €100 per tonne for 2030 and €265 per tonne for 2050. That Department is beginning to think in terms of a rapid ramping up of the cost of carbon-intensive activities. It is important that this message gets through to decision-makers, whether it pertains to low-emission vehicles, diesel, buses or whatever. My job is to make sure that agenda is brought forward.

See this speech in context