Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 31:

In page 8, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following:

“Proactive dissemination of information

6. Notwithstanding anything elsewhere in this Act, the Advisory Council, any Minister of the Government, the Government or a Local Authority shall be obliged to publish in full within 3 days any report, or proposal which is required to be provided under this Act particularly where it is subject to approval or amendment under this Act.”.

Amendment No. 31 relates to information. We know there are many issues in terms of access to environmental information. If we talk about bringing people with us and giving confidence in this, one of the key things is transparency and engagement for the public in order that people would be able to see how decisions are being made and why they are being made. The amendment proposes that notwithstanding anything else in this Act, the advisory council, any Minister, the Government - I am naming the Government to be clear and it would be useful for the Minister to clarify this - or a local authority shall be obliged to publish in full, within three days, any report or proposal required to be provided under this Act, especially where it is subject to approval or amendment under this Act. I am open to seven days if that is suggested.

There are a number of different processes, such as the advisory council, the climate plan, the sectoral targets and the processes around the budgets. Any report or proposal which arises out of the functions in this Bill should be published and available for the public to see climate action in effect in terms of the decisions which have been made and the proposals or reports and to ensure the public has that engagement. This is consistent with the Aarhus Convention and the principles of access to environmental information and participation and transparency in environmental decision-making.