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

I am afraid I cannot accept amendment No. 24. It would not be appropriate for us to place provisions in this Bill where every flood victim in the country, for example, could seek compensation on the back of it being a function of climate change. Similarly, it would not be appropriate for us to try to involve every other matter, such as investor-state disputes or other mechanisms.This Bill is designed for us to set up the process within which we manage the complete change of our policy system and approach to give effect to our climate targets. The provision in the Bill on limited liability is appropriate and it is replicated in numerous other Acts, including the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, the Roads Act 1993 and the Chemicals Act 2008. The entire Bill is justiciable. The action taken by the Friends of the Irish Environment and others, which was successful last year and led to the Supreme Court effectively annulling the mitigation plan in the 2015 Act, is the sort of justiciable action that is appropriate. To make provision in the Bill for liability for either an investor or individual who suffers a loss as a result of climate action would make it impossible. I cannot accept the amendment.