Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This proposed amendment seeks to insert the word "written", as Senators have outlined, before the phrase "scientific or technical advice". Advice is one item that must be considered when the Government and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government perform their functions in respect of the national adaptation frameworks and sectorial adaptation plans. I appreciate that the intent behind the amendment is to guard against actions being performed on the basis of word of mouth. However, the amendment would preclude valuable information being transmitted by means of spoken discourse or presentations. The three Senators who have spoken to the amendment are academics, lecturers and business people who are wizards with words. They have given presentations over many years. It must be appreciated that the phrase "scientific or technical advice" is a broad concept and it includes valuable learning which may not be, or may not yet be, in written form. It is important because it is likely that the audience for such information will be non-expert in the fields of climate change. Limiting the advice to a formal written setting may preclude or exclude some sectors, citizens or people in the sharing or transmission of valuable information. Therefore, I cannot accept this amendment.