Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To give context, under the climate action legislation - to give it its formal name the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015 - section 14B of that Act requires that all local authorities are now required under a statutory basis to prepare climate action plans. Limerick City and County Council are currently preparing theirs. It is about to be finalised. It went out on consultation in draft form. Guidelines were issued by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to the local authorities and they were quite specific. The local authorities must meet targets. One of the major sections of that is transport and the local authorities have reporting requirements right up to the Department. I very much note the content. The Bill itself has been structured on the basis that it is a hugely important part of the mayor's role to ensure that those climate action plans are implemented. They are plans and there are reporting requirements that must meet targets. I thank Senator Garvey for her indulgence and I have committed to come back on Report Stage and have discussions around this area in order to deal with the whole area. I know the point the Senator made but I would appreciate further discussion on it. I will come back with an amendment on Report Stage.