We are now both wasting time.

Deputy Boyd Barrett must speak to the grouping of amendments.

It is about rights of way for the public.

I raise the issue of teacher allocations and the apparent inflexibility of the current system. The key factor for determining the number of teachers for the next school year is the number of pupil enrolments in the previous year. I am dealing with a situation in a school in Bray where, despite the school having had a significant increase in student numbers over the course of the school year, it is stuck with the allocation from the previous year. Is this the best way to do it? Could we look at some other system, es…

I have two minutes rather than seven minutes because I spoke earlier on these amendments, but I will take only two minutes anyway.

I spoke to this grouping of amendments, because I spoke to my amendment No. 137, and now I am coming back in for my two-minute contribution.

I will take only two minutes anyway.

I welcome amendment No. 140, which seeks to substitute "the integration of the pursuit and achievement of the national climate objective and National Biodiversity Action Plan" into the national planning framework. That enshrines it at the very highest level in our planning and plan-led system. That is a real strengthening of the wording in this Bill to protect climate and the environment. I welcome the additional strengthening of the Bill. The national climate objective is defined in the definition section as set o…

Amendment No. 168 provides for the deletion of the date for the review to be completed, namely 28 May 2024. It makes sense to delete that date because it has passed. I note from the most recent Government statement on the matter that the draft national planning framework will be out for consultation this month and that amendments will be made in August, with a view to publishing in September. I am seeking clarification about whether those dates are still in order. It is sensible that the ESRI has been engaged to ca…

I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 220: To delete paragraph (p) and substitute the following: “(p) integration and achievement of the national climate objective and relevant climate action related policies and measures of the Government, including those prepared pursuant to the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, into regional, spatial and economic strategies, development plans, urban area plans, priority area plans and coordinated area plans, without prejudice to the obligations imposed by sec…

That is rubbish. The Deputy is not even speaking to the amendments. Come on Ceann Comhairle, that is not on. I have listened to the Deputy's rubbish all night.

That is rubbish.

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for the lesson on diggers, excavators and plant hire. I assure anyone who has an interest in that type of business that climate action will not affect it. Houses can be built with low-carbon technology. In fact, the housing committee is going to visit some low-carbon technology modular housing in September. I would be delighted to invite Deputy Healy-Rae to the committee when we prepare a report on that. He will see how climate action and the construction and development of much-needed hous…

Briefly, before I speak to amendment No. 1, it is important to set out clearly how we got to this stage, because there is a narrative out there that in some way this Bill is being rushed through. Nothing could be further from the truth. As Chair of the Oireachtas housing committee, I want to state that we spent probably two and a half years working on this Bill. I think we have been through two Attorneys General. We have been through two assistant secretaries of the Department shepherding this Bill through the comm…

I will speak to amendments Nos. 29 and 144, both of which are in my name. Amendment No. 29 proposes to include in section 2 a statement to the effect that the national biodiversity action plan has the meaning assigned to it by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023. The Minister's amendment No. 118, in Part 3, probably covers that adequately. I am merely seeking clarification. The Minister's wording refers to section 59A of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. I wish to ensure that it is the national biodiversity action p…

This amendment is in the name of my party colleague Deputy Ó Cathasaigh. As a result, I am able to speak to it. I will move it if Deputy Ó Cathasaigh is not here when the time comes. Amendment No. 39 provides a definition of "sustainable development". We have had various takes over many years on people's interpretation of what sustainable development involves. In the context of the description, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh has done a huge amount of work. I hope the Minister will consider whether it is appropriate that we in…

I move amendment No. 29: In page 34, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: “ “National Biodiversity Plan” has the meaning assigned to it by the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023;” Based on the Minister's amendment, No. 118, I will withdraw.

I move amendment No. 39: In page 39, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: “ “sustainable development” means development and actions that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, including actions in respect of social, economic, cultural and environmental development, climate and biodiversity, as described in the reference to environmental development and sustainability in the H…

I will speak briefly to amendments Nos. 60 and 61. I support the spirit of what Deputies Ó Broin and Ó Snodaigh are trying to do with these amendments. The amendments would introduce uncertainty, but I do support the Deputies because we had a discussion on Committee Stage about how we determine what is a significant impact and whether something may have a significant impact. While I support what the Deputies are trying to do, the way it is written would probably create further uncertainty. Similarly, I appreciate t…

This is the grouping starting with amendment No. 70. Amendment No. 73 is mine. I agree with Deputy Ó Broin that we had a very long discussion on what is referred to as section 5 in the current Act. We went into it in quite some detail. In fact, I think it is a part of the Act that many were not that familiar with and our discussions brought a good level of interest to bear on it. My suggestion was that rather than taking out "any person" having the right to make a request in this regard, as it is now, we would chan…