Results 3,101-3,120 of 3,983 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 76: In page 10, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: "(da) just transition and just transition principles;". The amendment is based on the assumption the Minister will take the just transition principles and definition and incorporate them in the Bill. The Minister has said that just transition has been incorporated but I am interested to know under...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: We have had a discussion on just transition with the Minister in which he has said the foundations of the Bill are to look at the social element of climate action. Even under the Minister's own admission this is within the remit of the Bill. I am still confused and I have written to the Ceann Comhairle to get the rationale on why these amendments have been ruled out of order because of a...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: This clearly demonstrates the need to have just transition specifically incorporated in the Bill. If a just transition element and policy tool, whether tax or not, is seen as outside the scope of the Bill surely it indicates there is a key need to include the provisions of just transition as a foundational element in the legislation.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Five of my amendments have been ruled out of order because of a money message or because they are outside the provisions of the Bill. Should we discuss those before we get into the amendments in this group? How I vote on the amendments which follow will be determined by the discussion we have regarding the amendments that have been ruled out of order.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: We are about to discuss the Minister's amendment regarding the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960. One of my amendments was ruled out of order because it relates to that Act. Is it within the scope of the Act or not? I ask that question because I imagine this issue will impact on the Minister's amendments as well.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Surely if my amendment was approved to extend this legislation to include the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, it would not be outside the Bill's scope.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: With all due respect, it was the Chairman who signed the letter ruling my amendments out of order. I do not understand how bringing the target date forward from 2050 to 2045 could be deemed to warrant a money message or to incur an additional cost on the Exchequer. Bringing the date forward by five years would not cost the State any more money.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Objective of Act 3.The objective of this Act is to ensure that the State does its fair share, on the basis of equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 6: In page 6, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “The target-setting criteria 3.(1) In this Act, the “target-setting criteria” are— (a) the objective of not exceeding the fair and safe Irish emissions budget, (b) European and international law and policy relating to climate change (including the United Nations Framework...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: It might be a good idea at this point for the Minister to indicate his intentions regarding the amendments we have yet to consider. Is he open to accepting any of them? If not, and if Government members are going to vote against each of them, I have other things I could be doing today and on the two days scheduled for this debate next week. It would be good if the Minister could clarify...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I find that to be really disappointing. This is the first Committee Stage debate I have been through. When we started out in the committee, and started reviewing the climate Bill initially, the recommendation from the Minister and the Department was that we would not have pre-legislative scrutiny. We pushed back against that and had very extensive pre-legislative scrutiny. The Minister...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I will be moving it.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Will the Minister elaborate on the rationale as to why a reference to social and economic exclusion cannot be included? In order to define how people are vulnerable, we need to acknowledge there will be social and economic vulnerabilities globally and it will be the poorest people who are most impacted in that regard. If the Minister is not open to taking the more definitive amendments, he...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 15: In page 6, to delete lines 26 to 30 and substitute the following: "'climate justice' means the requirement that decisions and actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change shall, in so far as it is practicable to do so, safeguard the rights of persons vulnerable to social and economic exclusion and endeavour to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I also think this is one of the most important conversations on the Bill we will have. The reality is that climate issues are not just about the environment. They are part of a much broader issue and we cannot separate them out. If we start dealing with environmental or climate issues separately to the economy, inequality and people's living standards we will not achieve what we need to...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Minister is arguing that just transition is a difficult concept to define. However, the Scottish Government has defined it. There are a number of examples where other, similar countries have embedded it in their legislation. The unions have come together and agreed a concept and principles, as have community organisations. There is an onus on the Minister to reflect that in this Bill....

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: Like my colleagues, I would ask that the Minister take all these amendments back and consider which one he is comfortable with. We are all saying the same thing. I saw earlier that one of the civil society groups wants the UNFCCC commitment mentioned in the Bill. Perhaps that is something the Minister can take on board. My amendment is a simple addition, which emphasises that it will be...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Trade Agreements (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: 13. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has conducted a risk analysis on the implications that the investor court system as part of CETA will have on current and future environmental legislation in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13250/21]

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 22: In page 6, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following: “ ‘just transition’ means a transition that ensures the economic, environmental and social consequences of the ecological transformation of economies and societies are managed in ways that maximise opportunities of decent work for all, reduce inequalities, promote social justice,...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Jun 2021)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 25: In page 7, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: “ ‘nature based solutions’ means locally adapted, resource-efficient, cost-effective and systemic interventions supported by nature, which simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits incorporating more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into...