Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 6, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 14 of Principal Act

6.Section 14 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) in subsection (3), by the insertion of the following after paragraph (f):

“(g) sustainable energy or climate science.”,

and

(b) in subsection (8), by the substitution of “the proceeds of the levy collected and recovered and the proceeds of the biofuel levy collected and recovered” for “the levy and biofuel levy”.”.

The amendment again seeks to strengthen not only the Minister's discretion and powers in a way that would be useful but also the confidence of us all, as an Oireachtas and a public, in the operations of agencies empowered by our State such as the National Oil Reserves Agency. At the moment those who may be appointed as directors of the National Oil Reserves Agency are persons with a very specific set of experiences and competences. It is very important, especially as we now look to certain parts of the moneys moving towards a climate action fund but also, as I said, because we recognise that the oil industry is not an industry floating alone but one within a wider energy debate and landscape, that we have other expertise available and that the Minister has the capacity to appoint people with other expertise to the directorship of NORA. Currently any director from the board of directors of NORA can come from oil or oil-related industries, chemical or chemical-related industries, finance, economics, legal matters or energy production and supply industries. There are a few issues here, one being the expertise, none of which relates to the geological reality that oil and the oil industry is something that is happening on the planet that has huge implications, including for climate science. There is no sign, recognition or consideration that this industry has very serious impacts on how it does its work. With the exception of finance, economics and legal matters, the other expertise all relate to industry experience. Again, by their nature, the directors of NORA come from industry and business and may potentially have either past or present interests in the area of oil, chemicals or energy production and supply.The Minister would not have to remove any of those. My amendment would simply add sustainable energy or climate science as two possible considerations when appointing a director to the board of NORA. My other amendment on this matter was ruled out of order and the Minister has not had a chance to address it but in the future, we will hopefully move towards our reserves not simply being oil reserves but sustainable energy reserves. When assessing oil stocks, for example, someone with a background in climate science would recognise that, given a choice between A, B and C, option B may have a less negative climate impact. That consideration and consistency would be there. This amendment simply gives the Minister the capacity to appoint a director who may not have industry experience but who may have academic experience, for example, in sustainable energy or climate science.