Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will say a few words in conclusion, if I may, because once the group is dealt with, I cannot speak further on these amendments. As a member of the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, I am conscious of how Departments are keen to push all the responsibilities in this area onto other Departments. The climate issue is crucial and we are torn between aiming for the ideal, which is every Department taking full responsibility, and a more practical approach. The safety net to my mind is the both-and approach. I will come back to the issue of prosecutions on Report Stage. If both Ministers have responsibility, that is one thing, whereas if it is either-or, we have a scenario whereby a future Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, who may or not be a member of the Green Party, for instance, is able to say it is out of his or her remit. On something as crucial as this, a doubling up of potential prosecution and enforcement is important. I am keen for Departments to step up and take their responsibilities seriously. However, I am more keen for our emissions to reduce in the next five to ten years than I am to engage in any long pedagogical project or something like that.