Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will speak briefly in favour of the amendment. I agree that we need greater transparency. The amendment is relevant in the context of my amendments relating to fossil fuel lobbyists. The Irish Academy of Engineering lists itself as a non-profit organisation harnessing the expertise of engineers and providing independent advice to policymakers and industry, yet it has repeatedly appeared on the airwaves, including on RTÉ, and has specialist committees. It comments frequently on energy security on this island and often takes a position that is pro-fossil fuel and the continuation of fossil fuel, particularly in the context of the liquified natural gas, LNG, terminal, yet one cannot get an answer when one asks who is funding it, from where is its money coming and whether it is coming from industry. Although I only have an interest in energy policy, the specialist committees with sectoral interests in other areas similarly will not give that information when asked. This is important because these organisations regularly appear on the lobby register and the airwaves but they very much seem to have a fossil fuel agenda.