Seanad debates

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages

 

10:30 am

Photo of Paudie CoffeyPaudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader and the House for extending the time to facilitate further debate on this important and historic legislation.

In respect of adaptation, this section is carefully worded so as to make it optional as to which Ministers with specific sectorial adaptation responsibilities will be required to present annual sectorial adaptation transition statements to the Oireachtas. In any given year, the choice of such Ministers will be determined at the request of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.The reasoning behind this option rather than providing for mandatory qualification is that responsibility for adaptation matters is spread over so many areas of government and to such different degrees that it would not be advisable to require every such Minister to present a statement to the Oireachtas every year. Section 14(6) is merely a technical saver to cover a situation where the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for sectoral adaptation matters. In such a scenario it would not make sense for the Minister to request himself or herself to present a sectoral adaptation transition statement. Accordingly, the section leaves it up to the Minister to decide whether he or she should deliver a sectoral adaptation transition statement in the same way as it is up to him or her to determine which other Ministers should deliver statements.

I hope I have not served to further confuse matters in this somewhat complicated textual situation, but I cannot accept the amendments. Therefore, I ask that they be withdrawn.

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