Results 4,481-4,500 of 20,797 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: It will be very much front and centre once the Bill is passed. Once this Bill is passed, this issue will be front and centre in everyone's mind, because there will be legislation in place underpinning the need for plans and changes that must take place. That is the level of detail we will be getting into. We will get into a significant level of detail as part of the mitigation and...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: It is stated in the Bill that the mitigation plan should specify the manner in which it is proposed to achieve the national objective of transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050. I have said we would look at the matter again, but I do not consider it appropriate or necessary to include a quantitative target in the Bill to be met by 2050.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: This is a repeat of the previous debate.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We have very clear written instructions on our targets to be met by 2020. I hope that post what will happen in Paris we will have targets to be met by 2030. The targets are very clear. Let us remember that plans are made every five years. In terms of the nitty-gritty, they can be altered as we move along. I will also have to make statements and every Minister will have to be accountable...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I am quite happy with what has been proposed in the Bill. An expert group will also monitor the position, a matter we will discuss later.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy should trust that I will listen to his comments on that issue.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Does the Deputy mean the agricultural sector?

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: For clarity, these amendments call for the inclusion of a new paragraph in section 4(2) which requires a national mitigation plan to specify the projected total national emissions for the period of the plan, after all of the policy measures in the plan are implemented. Obviously I disagree with the Deputy's proposal on the basis that the national mitigation plan is designed, pursuant to...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We have targets.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: It is unfair to say we do not. We have very challenging targets.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We have been around the houses on the matter.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: On that last remark, I have shown an enormous interest in rail. On the concrete issue, the Deputy is right. I have seen the changes in that sector. I met representatives of the industry and spoke at their conference. They have made huge changes and I respect that. I also fully agree with the Deputy on the issue of waste to energy. Waste to energy is a phenomenal sector that has huge...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We sought it from within the Department but I will also commit to consulting the Attorney General.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have already asked for that to be done.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I do not want to delay proceedings but would simply restate the issues referred to earlier with regard to clarity, making sure that what one proposes to insert into the legislation is clear and addresses definition problems and the potential legal consequences. I have made the case on all of those points and do not propose to go over them again now. However, I will do what I said.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The amendment calls for the inclusion of references to the management of soil carbon and the protection and rewetting of wetlands when I, as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, perform functions under section 4. The Deputy may be aware that BirdWatch Ireland is keen to have this amendment included. In the first instance, I fully accept that both the management of...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The amendment calls for the inclusion of further considerations in national mitigation plans. As the Deputy said, there are many things that could be included in section 4(7) and good arguments could be made for the inclusion of worthy sentiments which would make the subsection very lengthy and unwieldy. However, the proposals included in the amendment are relevant and, for the most part,...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I see little merit in this proposal as the Government has to approve the plan in any event. There also could be unintended consequences. For instance, what happens if someone wants to play politics in circumstances where there is a temporary minority in either House? I do not think that is in anyone's interests. It adds another layer of bureaucracy. I oppose this amendment.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: This is a useful section as it specifies the matters that I, as Minister, and the Government of the day need to take into account in performing our functions in respect of the adaptation frameworks and sectoral adaptation plans. One of the more unusual features of the Bill is the prominence and priority it gives to adaptation matters, which is only right, given the potential impacts of...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: It took us so long to get to this point. I do not agree with some of the amendments, but I understand them. I am looking at other amendments because I can see the validity of the arguments. The name is obviously very important to some people, so I will take the views of the Deputies into account if they write to me. I will certainly take this idea on board and look at it before Report...