Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for their presentations. Let me comment on procurement first. I am a bit puzzled. The witnesses seem to be saying they do not have enough influence over the decisions made. Every public sector body has adopted the commitment to a 51% reduction. Presumably, the first and easiest thing to do is design the things one is now procuring. How can we continue and not be able to say someone is responsible for ensuring acquisitions of new assets will be net-zero compatible? If it is not the OGP, whose door do we knock on? That is the first question, because the matter is very frustrating.

The second question is about data. What is the benchmark today regarding the extent of green procurement and what are we trying to reach? What percentage of vehicles acquired by the public sector this year were electric, for example? The witnesses have principles for allowing exceptions, but it is unclear who is vetting this. Is it entirely devolved? When it comes to buildings, the only target I can see in the documentation is to have some reuse – the level is unspecified – of materials in buildings. There is nothing about lifetime impact, capacity to repurpose, or demolition strategies. It seems to be largely a matter of these concepts being for others to think about. That seems to be no way to run a railway, as they say. While we are all saying the planet is burning and that we need to get to a destination, it seems everyone is picking and choosing their own their own route.