Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not trying to underestimate the Senator's concerns with regard to delays. I do not underestimate those concerns. We are having an important and critical debate about climate change. I think Members of all parties and none are generally supportive of this history-making legislation. We all know and feel that we have to act. I think that is generally agreed. It is not something we need to rush, however. I accept the Senator's concerns. I have to say that when a periodic review has been completed, the advisory council and its secretariat will require a reasonable period of time to document the findings of that review before submitting it. Given the significance and substantive nature of such work, we do not believe that a 30-day wait in this regard is in any way excessive. We must afford the advisory council some time to finalise its report after the actual review process has been completed. That is essentially why we have provided for a 30-day period and why we cannot support this amendment.