Results 3,301-3,320 of 20,057 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this amendment. I regret that all my previous amendments were ruled out of order on the basis of cost. There will be a huge financial cost to the citizens of this State, including farmers, if we continue going down this road and do not address the climate change issue. In addition, there is an issue of climate justice, not just for developing Third...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 22:In page 6, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “(d) the principle of climate change justice for developing countries and countries vulnerable to climate change.”.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I will speak to amendment No. 28 in my name and that of other Deputies. It is important we do this quickly. We have reached a carbon cliff because of the lost years when we did not do what we should have been doing, when we did not take our responsibility seriously and when we kept damaging the environment and putting ourselves in a situation for which we will pay in the future, not just...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: National Broadband Plan Implementation (29 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: 606. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the local broadband service around Stradbally in County Laois will be upgraded. [33192/15]

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I wish to speak on the amendment. I understand we are taking amendments Nos. 30, 38, 50 to 52, inclusive, and 56 together. Amendments Nos. 38 and 52 are in my name. Do I move the amendments now?

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: Amendment No. 38 seeks to delete the word "Government" and substitute the word "Oireachtas". This is important because Governments come and go and, as we see in the economics sphere, they take their line from a very small, elusive and distant group of people such as economic management councils. Even within Cabinet a very small group, basically four people, set economic policy. It is...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: The first time as the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I remember the Minister saying it during Question Time.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: There is nothing wrong with wanting to leave a legacy. I am asking the Minister to leave a positive legacy, which he has the opportunity to do this morning by opening up this process to the Dáil. He has nothing to fear but we all have everything to gain, the most important thing being the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: The Minister said that Governments are elected to govern, which is fair enough, but they are also accountable to this House. There will be 158 Members following the election, which will probably be sooner rather than later and the next Government will be accountable to them. Under my amendment No. 52, I fail to see how laying the national mitigation plan before the Houses of the...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: The Minister should come on. I thought he was more fair-minded than that. There is an opportunity for him to lay the plan before the Oireachtas in order that the Dáil can scrutinise it. That is our role. When I was elected by the people of Laois-Offaly, that is what they sent me here to do. Opposition Members need to have an input into these plans. The Minister is keeping the...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 31:In page 6, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: “(a) this shall include agreed targets of reductions in CO2 emissions through 2050,”. The Bill needs to set targets rather than aspirations. Otherwise there is no incentive to design a plan that will bring about any kind of meaningful reductions. Why were other amendments tabled by me and...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: They are very concerned in Cloughjordan about this matter. They have an eco-village and they are very concerned about it.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: The Minister of State is concerned we might cut across the EU process which is likely to set targets up to 2030. The whole point of the amendment, however, is that we set out our own targets. We have to take responsibility to put our own house in order. We have neglected this issue for the past several years and now, not just the Government but every citizen must play catch-up on climate...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: One moment now. How many times-----

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: -----has the EU had to come in and give us a crack of the whip? The whip is to get us into line and do the things we should have done years ago. We should pre-empt the EU, do it ourselves, stand on our own two feet and be in compliance with the EU targets by all means.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 33:In page 6, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following:“(c) specify the projected level of emissions once the policy measures outlined are agreed,”. This proposal is an important change. Basically, it provides that the national mitigation plan would specify the projected levels of emissions once the policy measures outlined are agreed. The...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 38:In page 7, line 22, to delete "Government" and substitute "the Oireachtas".

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 40:In page 7, line 34, to delete "have regard to" and substitute "comply with and take account of". This amendment requires that the Minister and the Government take account of certain matters when performing functions under this section. The need to have regard to those matters is in page 7 of the Bill but I want to substitute "have regard to" with the words "comply...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) (30 Sep 2015)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 52:In page 8, line 34, after "Government" to insert "and both houses of the Oireachtas".