Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Action Chairperson and thank Senator Ruane for these amendments. I do not intend to accept Amendments Nos. 5 and 6 or Nos. 15 to 23, inclusive.

Section 8(9) of the Bill is a broadly-drafted provision that provides for how money from the circular economy fund may be used. The section is similar to the corresponding section in respect of the environment fund and it provides for a range of purposes relating to the protection of the environment and the transition to a circular economy.

Amendments Nos. 16 to 21, inclusive, provide for additional purposes for which these funds may be used. I have read through them and the section as drafted is appropriate for the purposes for which it is intended. The section provides the funds may be used for all purposes in respect of the protection of the environment. This includes the majority of what is being provided for under these amendments and as a result I will not be accepting them.

As amendments Nos. 5 and 6 provide for definitions used in amendments Nos. 16 to 21, inclusive, I am not going to accept those amendments.

Amendment No. 22 narrows the scope of section 8(9)(n) by deleting the words "or other persons". Under the Interpretation Act, "person" is defined as meaning a body corporate and an unincorporated body of persons, as well as an individual. It is important that where appropriate initiatives are undertaken in respect of the protection of the environment or sustainable development, funding is available to all organisations or persons that are in a position to undertake appropriate initiatives and therefore I will not be accepting this amendment.

I also do not accept amendment No. 15. There is no intention that accounts will be held in financial institutions outside the State and I do not believe this amendment is necessary. The amendment as drafted is also ambiguous as to financial institutions operating within the State and in other jurisdictions.

On amendment No. 17, it is not appropriate to limit funding to public research and development only, which would be the effect of this amendment. All payments from the circular economy fund will be carefully monitored to ensure the value of all research and development funded from the fund. Some very valuable research and development projects are carried out by the private sector with public funding and to narrow the scope of this provision would be inappropriate. I do not accept this amendment.

I am also not accepting amendment No. 23, as it is likely that such a committee will be comprised of members of either my Department or other public service bodies such as the EPA and as a result, the relevant public service codes of conduct will apply. That should have the same effect as this amendment.

In general, the circular economy fund replaces the environment fund. It can be used very broadly for anything that advances the case of our transition towards a circular economy and that can be done through grants, research or funding for businesses to switch towards the circular economy. Although a small business is a private institution that does not mean it should not receive some kind of funding to help it make a change where that is appropriate. That is the basic model of what is happening there. We have the existing example of the environment fund, which the circular economy fund will replace, which has been in operation for 20 years and with which we have much experience. This is a change from a general environment fund to a circular economy fund.