Seanad debates

Monday, 5 July 2021

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed)

 

10:30 am

Photo of Alice-Mary HigginsAlice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 69:

In page 14, line 5, after “Council” to insert “and approved by the Government”.

This amendment builds on the previous point I made. I will not rehash the points I made on foot of amendment No. 60. I will deal with them when we reach amendment No. 70, which addresses the question of who should be properly doing things and what the targets should be. Amendment No. 69 deals simply with the question of who is accountable. Fundamentally, the programme for Government commitment to ensure we have a 7% reduction in emissions year on year is not delivered because we do not know that we will have that; we only know what will happen in 2030. Leaving aside the 51% reduction in emissions target by that year, it is only a requirement the advisory council would propose budgets that might aim for a 51% reduction by that year. There are multiple routes it might propose. It could propose increasing emissions and diving emissions at the end. Ultimately, it is only the council which is required to propose it but there is not a requirement on the Minister to accept it or the Government to approve it. That is a foolish move. The political battle has been won in getting this target into the programme for Government. The right thing to do with the political point that has been won is to put it into law. Instead we have it going out of it. I urge the Minister of State to consider accepting this amendment, which provides the 51% reduction is proposed by the advisory council and approved by the Government. Let us make sure there is no slip between cup and lip in what is proposed by the advisory council in that regard.

Amendment No. 70 deals with the question of the 51% target. If a 51% reduction target is proposed by the advisory council, surely it should also be approved by Government. That should not be matter that is up for negotiation, bargaining or persuasion. It should be set in stone

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