Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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81. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the climate Bill will be introduced. [25449/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I recently published both the National Policy Positionon Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development,and the General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill.

As I have already stated in the reply to Question No. (25452/14, lottery 12) on today’s Order Paper, the National Policy Position provides high-level policy direction on adoption and implementation by Government of plans to enable the State to move progressively to a low-carbon economy over the period to 2050.

In the General Scheme of the Bill, I propose, inter alia, to provide a statutory foundation for the overall national transition objective, and compliance by Ireland with our obligations under EU and international law . The General Scheme also proposes to give a solid statutory foundation to the institutional arrangements necessary to enable the State to pursue and achieve the national transition objective.

The General Scheme has been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel and the Bill will be published as soon as drafting has been completed. My objective is to introduce the Bill and progress its passage through the Oireachtas as quickly as possible.