Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support both amendments but I am primarily speaking to Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's amendment. It is very rational and logical. While I disagree with a fundamental element of who is responsible for the investment, auto-enrolment is crucial in the long term. We need to consider the types of investment that are made, both for those beneficiaries in the industry but also the wider social context. It is right to make the words "having regard to" stronger. It occurs to me that it might put a Minister in a better position in the future if a story breaks that it turns out the auto-enrolment board has invested a certain amount into cobalt mining or whatever and, if it was not for this amendment, the Minister of the day could say we do not have data on that or, at least, that we have not been in a position to consider that, whereas with Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's amendment, the Minister would be in a better position, because he or she might have more oversight and there might be a more formal process for the oversight and consideration of such considerations as climate change and the environment.