I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together.
I am committed to the terms of the Programme for the development of national climate policy and legislation published in January 2012, including the commitment to issue Heads of a Climate Bill by the end of this year.
In terms of progress on the Programme to date, the public consultation was completed on schedule. It attracted a very strong response, within excess of 600 submissions received. My Department is at an advanced stage in working through these submissions and an overview will be made available online as soon as possible.
The Secretariat to the National Economic and Social Council have submitted their interim report. As indicated in the Programme, I intend to release the report and formally invite views from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht by the end of September 2012. I foresee a central role for the Joint Committee in the policy development process, most importantly on the critical issue of coming to a clear national understanding of how to meet our binding EU and wider international mitigation commitments, as well as pursuing national objectives in a low-carbon global economy.