Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I think so. The Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015. The Minister was present. He was not an officeholder at the time. I am not sure if he was a Deputy. It is worth saying it just shows the Minister's commitment to this goes beyond what office he holds.

Many people on the left feel the need to caveat their congratulations to Joe Biden by saying they do not share his politics. I am not going to do that. I am delighted someone of such decency has won the presidency in America. I am especially delighted to hear the report the Minister has just given us that in his conversation this afternoon with the Taoiseach, Mr. Biden indicated his intention that the United States will rejoin the Paris Agreement soon after his inauguration on 20 January. Everyone knows it is not a perfect agreement but at least everyone is on the pitch playing the same game and with the Americans, who emit 15% of the world's carbon, coming back in it at least gives us some hope and hopefully we will have a race to the top. Will the Minister, in his capacity as our Minister with responsibility for climate action, be writing to the President-elect to follow up on that call with the Taoiseach? What other actions will he be taking between now and then?

See this speech in context