Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I am really interested to find out how all of this will work in practice. For example, the revised national development plan covers almost the entire period set out in the climate action Bill, during which the target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% over two carbon budgets. The Minister will acknowledge that how we spend our money and which national development plan projects we prioritise will dictate and mean the difference between meeting our targets and not meeting them. Will the Minister accept that carbon interim reports will be a driver of budget policy and that his Department, from now on, needs to work on that basis? What specific changes is the Minister planning to allow for that to happen?

The Minister mentioned that he is working on new methodologies in this space. I would appreciate it if he could elaborate on that. We will now have binding mandatory carbon reduction targets. On that basis, will the Minister accept the logic that when we are preparing budgets, Estimates and multi-annual funding envelopes, logically, the money must follow the policy and the law?

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