Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I have a written response but because it is very similar to that given to Deputy O'Rourke, I might skip it and Deputy Whitmore can read it because it does answer her question directly. To come back to the process, because there was a certain time urgency I thought the pre-legislative scrutiny process would be short and then we would probably spend longer on Committee and Report Stages.

However, when the Oireachtas committee came back with its suggested approach, I was happy to agree to that much more extensive consultation. In my experience of the last three to four years, what has worked in climate politics in this country, if I could put it that way, has been the good co-operation between Government Departments and the joint Oireachtas committee. In particular, the Joint Committee on Climate Action in the last Dáil, and again in this one, has shown a cross-party approach that really benefits us. It is in a similar respect that we have taken time to review and consider the amendments. While I cannot remember the exact number of amendments, perhaps 90 or so, that was not a short process in terms of considering not just the amendments but the evidence we heard at the joint Oireachtas committee, including valid criticism, which we accept, that we need to listen and try to improve things. We will end up with a vastly improved draft Bill. While the time it has taken has been somewhat frustrating, I think it has been time well spent and we will see that in the Bill as it emerges.

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