Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, as I should have done earlier. He is my local Green Party Deputy and I also served with him as a councillor for some years on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. I wish him well in his work in government.Amendment No. 58 relates to the Aarhus Convention, which I have heard the Minister of State comment on many times. I took the time to look at the Green Party's website the other night and I compliment him on his party's excellent website. A lot of historical material has been left on it, which is clever and good. I cannot say that about some parties. References to the Aarhus Convention are peppered throughout the website, which mentions engagement and the importance of the convention. I have had dealings with the Aarhus Convention, albeit more with the built environment and built heritage than with this aspect of the environment. It is a very important convention.

I hope the Minister of State will accept this amendment. I do not know what briefing notes he has and I cannot anticipate what he might say but I would make a strong case that he should accept it. He stands for this, the Green Party stands for it and its members stand for it. The Green Party has been a strong advocate, to be fair to it, for the principles and substantial issues around the Aarhus Convention and the right of engagement. Only today in The Irish Timesthere was a piece, to which Senator Higgins alluded, about engagement, strategic development and all the issues around that. One thing we have to stand up for and protect is the right of our citizens to engage. It is not about closing people down. It is about including people. When people talk about objectors to developments or activities, it is not about closing them down. They must be listened to. They are citizens and we live in a democracy. The Minister of State was given a strong mandate on green and environmental issues and he has a strong record on that, in fairness to him. The people who voted green did so because they were committed to the party's ideals and principles. The Green Party's commitment to the Aarhus Convention is strong. Now it is about walking the walk. It is about being here in the centre of power, in which the party sought to be, and making those decisions. I ask the Government to seriously consider including this very simple and excellent amendment in the names of Senators Higgins, Ruane, Black and Flynn. It makes sense. Amendment No. 58 should be included in the Bill.