Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators for their contributions on this and the overall debate. I have not been party to much of it in the Seanad, but I was party to much of it in the Dáil. I agree it is important that with the compilation of the national mitigation plan there is engagement with all sectors including communities, the grassroots and local authorities, which are possibly the first vehicle for delivering on this engagement. The Government amended the Bill in the Dáil to ensure local authorities would be engaged with at a deeper level and I expect this to happen. I support the views of the Senators in this respect.

These amendments call for the publication of the climate change advisory council's annual reports simultaneously with, or not more than ten days after, submission to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government rather than not more than 30 days after submission. By way of explanation for what is already in the Bill, the 30-day timeframe is to provide an opportunity for the annual report to be seen by the Government before it is published. I want to make it clear there is no intention or provision for the Government to seek to alter or amend the annual report in any way. The 30-day timeframe is merely to afford this courtesy to the Government. Therefore, I do not believe a maximum 30-day wait for publication could be said to constitute any undue or untoward delay. The annual report will be published in full by the advisory council without, I reiterate, any interference whatsoever. Therefore, I cannot support these amendments.