Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 16:

In page 6, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(2A) (a) In deciding whether to pursue any and all extensions of the duration of the development plan, the elected members and the chief executive of the planning authority shall undertake an assessment to support the obligation to have regard to the matters specified under section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, and any targets or plans which may be specified under that Act relevant for the planning authority and the effect of any and all proposed extensions of the duration of the development plan, and their obligations in relation to that Act.

(b) The determinations and assessments made in relation to paragraph (a) shall be published and made available as part of the public consultation on any and all proposed extensions of the duration of the development plan.”.

This amendment makes the requirement to consider the effect on climate action and mitigation explicit. This should be delayed given the extension of development plans under section 15 of the climate Bill. It flags an important consequence and also brings into focus the wider obligations we expect will flow from the process of the climate Bill. It also requires the position to be published and subject to consultation. It may be important in highlighting deficiencies in negative screening for SEA and AA or the adequacy of the SEA and the AA where done.