David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Our amendment puts a timeframe on it and we support the thrust of what Senator Barrett has said. Our amendment proposes that the expert group should report back within ten days and not 30 days, which is what is in the Bill. The wording of the Bill states that in implementing climate change measures the Government needs to "have regard to" - which is a phrase often placed in legislation by the Government - a range of factors, including the State's obligations under international agreements and expert scientific opinion. This is too vague and needs to be strengthened. The expert group should not delay in coming back with its recommendations and we believe a ten-day timeframe is more than sufficient.

The Minister was not here for our previous debate on Committee Stage. We had a lengthy debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan. Those of us on this side of the House, and perhaps some of the Senators on the Government side, felt the Oireachtas should have much more say in policy making in this area. A number of statements were made on which the Minister of State was pulled up and we will not go back over them. I hope that on Report Stage we will not be pressing these amendments because the language will have been tempered and, more than that, the Government can meet us on some of the amendments which we believe are worthwhile to strengthen the Bill.

We had a lengthy discussion on the role of local authorities in local climate change action plans. In the Minister of State's constituency in Waterford, the environment strategic policy committee of what is now Waterford City and County Council put in place a local climate plan, but it was very weak because of the lack of powers the local authority had. It wanted to go further and put in place a proper climate change plan but, unfortunately, because of the limitations of national policy and local government it was not able to do anything of real significance or value. These are the types of issues we want addressed.

I do not intend to speak much more because we hope to get through Committee Stage. I hope that on Report Stage some of the amendments tabled by Senator Barrett and I which were not accepted can be considered more favourably.