Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I formally second the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator Ruane to introduce the Companies (Emission Reporting) Bill. The legislation is very important. We have clearly seen in the debates this week that our conversations cannot simply be discussions on energy supply and what we might substitute for something else. It must be about demand, and specifically commercial and industrial demand. This Bill would shine a light into different sectors that all need to be challenged to consider their consumption of energy and associated emissions. The Bill would provide us with the information for that. The Bill would ensure that we do not have situations as it seems have been allowed to happen where, for example, data centres, as one actor in the economy, have been allowed to monopolise a level of energy and, potentially, a level of emissions to the detriment of the citizens of this country and other commercial sectors. Shining a light to create transparency around emissions and energy consumption, as this Bill would do, is really important and I am very proud to second the amendment.

I look forward to reading Senator Conway's book. In the interim I suggest that the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, NCPP, or so forth could examine issues. Some very practical points were made about the Houses in terms of how we could be more inclusive and facilitate engagement by citizens who have a disability. This House showed leadership and passed the Irish Sign Language Act, in which the Cathaoirleach played a key role. It might be timely in the next couple of months to have a discussion on that legislation and how it is being implemented.

I wholeheartedly join in the tributes paid to Mervyn Taylor because the equality legislation he put in place-----