Results 3,121-3,140 of 4,037 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank Ms O'Neill. Is it a concern for her that the just transition principles were not included in the climate Bill we are debating tomorrow?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank Professor Matthews.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Amendment No. 138 is a similar amendment. Should it be taken in this grouping?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Is the Minister of State's response not contradictory? He has stated that the Government is covered under the references in the Act but on the other hand, he is saying it cannot be. I did not quite get his reference. He mentioned the High Court ruling relating to the 2015 Act. What is the difference between the 2015 Act and this Bill with respect to the assurances that the Government is...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I still do not see where the changes have been made in the Bill to reflect the High Court decision. For the sake of clarity and to be absolutely sure, this and subsequent related amendments should be included. We must have absolute clarity on this to avoid any High Court challenges.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I am concerned that the Minister of State's response indicates a certain rowing back on the understanding when it comes to climate action. We have had significant discussions at pre-legislative scrutiny and within the committee. The Minister of State has acknowledged that climate action and biodiversity action are one in the same and need to be addressed the same. Climate boundaries are...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Yes, briefly. I thank the Minister of State for his response but I am concerned he is putting biodiversity on a comparable level to transport. Biodiversity is part of our environment. It is absolutely entwined with climate. The things we do to improve our biodiversity crisis will help with our climate crisis and vice versa. The Dáil did not declare a transport crisis but it did...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: This comes back to tightening up the language in the Bill. Having phrases such as "in so far as practicable" really gives people an opportunity to dodge or fail to implement what they need to implement. The loose language in the Bill is one of the issues that was identified very early on in this process and we need to remove as much of it as possible.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 138: In page 16, to delete line 32 and substitute the following: "(13) A Minister of the Government or the Government of Ireland shall perform".

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 158: In page 17, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(2A) The Minister(s) with responsibility for the energy sector shall prepare a sub-sectoral emissions ceiling for electricity generation in line with the target of net zero by 2030. Reduced emissions arising from this target shall not be carried over to other sectors of the economy or...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I ask the Minister of State to consider amendment No. 158. If it is not 100% correct in terms of technicalities, I ask him and the Department to look to reflect its intent in the Bill somewhere. Essentially, the amendment puts a net zero target on the electricity sector for 2030. When we are talking about a finite or polluting resource, the first principle is not to use it. When we are...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Chairman, there has been a lot of discussion and I have not spoken for quite a while. This is very important. The fact that the just transition principles were not taken on board will be a major flaw. I will come back to this on Report Stage. If just transition is not incorporated on that Stage, it will cause major difficulties in how we address and reflect on this Bill.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Chairman, can I just make my point? One cannot separate these things. When talking about who will have to meet the targets and how they will meet them, it comes back to a just transition. That is the point. One cannot separate them.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Chairman, can I come in?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I will go back on a few things Deputy Bruton said. He said my arguments do not stand up to scrutiny. The Government target is 70% renewable energy for the electricity sector by 2030. Over 30% of the electricity we will be using in 2030 is for data centres. It is feasible to set a 100% target for renewable energy. When setting a target, one should set a target that one has to stretch to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 168: In page 18, line 7, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”. I will withdraw this and take it back up on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 170: In page 18, to delete lines 19 to 21 and substitute “may not carry forward the surplus from the preceding budget period to the current budget period.”. Again, I will withdraw this and take it back up on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Everyone on the committee knows there was quite a lot of discussion about whether those amendments were accepted fully or in part. We should not go back down that road and say it was a wholesale acceptance by the Government when in reality it was not. In many instances the amendments were only partially accepted. I wanted to make that point.