Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the Senators for their contributions. I agree with what Senator Pauline O'Reilly and Senator Higgins have said in relation to the transport aspect. It is something we will give consideration to over the summer. I take on board the points made. In my opening statement, I said that there is a specific reference to mobility separately. Would that cover a broader area? If it is okay with the Senators, we will go back and look at this point.

To Senator Higgins on the general point, the Minister, all the Ministers of State and our whole Department agree wholeheartedly that the Bill needs to emerge as strong as it can be from this process. I assure the Senator that I am not talking about the disproportionate time, the 120 hours, we gave this legislation in the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage versus 50 hours in the Dáil and 20 hours in this House. All of this process is strengthening the Bill. Again, we have taken on board very considerable and good ideas that have come from the Opposition all the way through this process. I am conscious of this fact.

Regarding the amendments specifically in relation to the arms industry, etc., these are really matters for other Departments. Again, we cannot list these items specifically. To make a broad point about our emissions, the most recent EPA report showed a drop of 6.8%. Not every sector is performing as well as some others, and transport remains a particular challenge, but this is the largest drop in 30 years, despite there being record employment, record economic growth and a significant population increase. This is something to be lauded by Ireland and the Irish people in terms of where we have set out to be and again harks back to an ambitious programme for Government that my party was involved in negotiating. It was said that the 7% reduction could not be done and yet we are heading towards achieving it. This is a testament to the hard work of people in Ireland and all sectors that we have achieved this. We are heading in the right direction.

Again, I refer to the points made about adaptation and mitigation, which are all set out in the Climate Action Plan 2023 to which the national planning framework must adhere. Not only is the climate action plan a statutory plan but Ireland’s national biodiversity action plan has also been placed on a statutory footing for the first time. All public bodies must adhere to the national biodiversity action plan and report back to the Minister on their actions and objectives within it. We will also be embarking on the nature restoration plan, a new competency, which is also on a statutory footing.

We will take a look over the summer at the points raised about the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and creating safer spaces and streets for women and girls, be that through street lighting or the design of our public spaces. That is absolutely vital. It is a competency for local authorities primarily, through their development plans and local area plans, but if we can give credence to it in this Bill, we will look to do so over the summer. I will take on board the good points Senators made on that. They are valid and important points which we will look at.

In the revision of the NPF, national policy objective No. 12 is to ensure the creation of attractive, liveable, well-designed, high-quality urban places that are home to diverse and integrated communities that enjoy a high quality of life and well-being. Again, that objective is quite strong.