Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to give that assurance if I can. I cannot see any circumstances where grant funding, in particular, would be available from the European Union or another outside body for a specific project and that it would be refused, particularly if it was recommended by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, but I will read the note I have for why we cannot accept this amendment. It would be outside of the normal legislative practice, purposes and scope of the Bill. My Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the climate action fund are ready and will continue to be subject to the normal financial controls available to Departments and funds, including being subject to the scrutiny of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the laying of accounts before the Oireachtas.As I have said, we must be careful. It is normal procedure for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to be involved in this, subject to the provisions of my own technical amendment, amendment No. 8. It is standard practice that a Department does not run its own budget line. It is normal legislative practice for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to be reviewing or involved in most areas of my Department, such as the appointment of chairpersons of boards for example. One often finds that State companies in this area are jointly owned by the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Moving away from that could create constitutional and legal difficulties and on that basis, I cannot accept the amendment.