Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the interests of brevity, I will make a quick point just to have it on the record again. We dealt with the EirGrid Bill.

Pre-legislative scrutiny was waived, under protest, on Second Stage and Committee Stage. We in the Opposition were pontificated to. We were told we had ample time and opportunity to discuss matters but we most certainly had not. Every time we engaged on the Bill, there was additional information. Gaps in the information remain. Not only that but because of the rushed nature of the process, the Government has had to bolt miscellaneous provisions onto the circular economy Bill. The approach taken to the EirGrid Bill, in particular, was not a good way to do legislation and this is another case in point. I wanted to put that on the record as I have on every Stage of that Bill. The same approach has now transferred to the circular economy Bill.

I support the comments made by Deputy Carthy in respect of the perverse situation in which we are left. A crazy set of circumstances has led to a situation whereby products which could be delivered in a circular economy on the island of Ireland are having to be transported over and back to mainland Europe. The effect of that is that the carbon footprint is 48 times more intense and impactful than it would otherwise be. I appeal to the Minister of State to intervene directly. I know he is interested in this and as Deputy Bríd Smith said, the Minister of State has taken on board recommendations from the Opposition in a way I have not seen from other Ministers. I personally appeal to him to intervene in that case, take a personal interest in it and go to County Monaghan.

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