Apologies have been received from the Cathaoirleach, Deputy Seán Fleming. Deputy Duncan Smith is attending in substitution for Deputy Conor Sheehan.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in a public meeting. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

The minutes of the meeting on 24 June have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

We have six items of correspondence that I will run through. No. 43/2026 is a briefing from An Coimisiún Pleanála on the renewable energy directive, RED, III. This response is from Ms Jennifer Carlton, executive officer secretariat, who has provided the briefing requested from the committee on how the soon-to-be-introduced mandatory scoping process of environmental impact assessments will work in practice. The correspondence goes to the background of the issue of RED III, the steps involved and the changes An Coimisiún Pleanála has made in response to the RED III caseload. Do members wish to discuss this, or are we okay to proceed? We will proceed.

No. 44/2026 is the response of the National Youth Council of Ireland, NYCI, arising from the meeting on 17 June regarding Foróige and Scouting Ireland. This correspondence is from Ms Catherine Walsh, director of policy and advocacy, providing responses to queries arising from the meeting on 17 June. Queries relating to Foróige and the NYCI include: the diversity, equality and inclusion framework, which is a component of the strategic plan 2024-28; goals, diversity and inclusion profile; geographic reach and gap; human resources; ratio of gender participation; engagement to trends; and responses to other questions raised. Queries relating to Scouting Ireland and the NYCI include: diversity within the organisation; any region that stands out around the country that shows gaps in reach; ratio of staff versus volunteers within each of the organisations; differences in the level of participation for males and females; and trends and requirements as they have changed over the past decade. Do members wish to discuss this, or can we proceed? We will proceed.

No. 45/2026 is a submission regarding the request for European Investment Bank, EIB, funding for MetroLink, Dublin. This correspondence is from Cormac McKay, private citizen, providing a submission regarding the EIB funding request for MetroLink. Mr. McKay has written his concerns about the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, giving the NTA further powers regarding MetroLink and concerns over the loan from EIB financing. The correspondence was initially directed to the transport committee after a meeting with the NTA. I propose that we note this correspondence and allow the transport committee to reply formally. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No. 46/2026 contains the CCMA planning and land use committee’s briefing note on the mandatory scoping process of environmental impact assessments. This correspondence is from Mr. Mark Harrington, County and City Management Association, providing the committee with the CCMA planning and land use committee’s briefing note on the mandatory scoping process associated with an environmental impact assessment. The CCMA breaks the briefing note into five categories, namely, background to the issue; implications for planning authorities; the need for national guidance; and potential benefits. Do members wish to discuss or proceed? We will proceed.

No. 47/2026 is from the National Youth Council of Ireland with follow-up information from a meeting. That is a separate piece. There is correspondence also from Ms Kathryn Walsh, director of policy advocacy, providing information requested from the meeting of 17 June 2026. Do members wish to proceed on that basis? Agreed.

The final correspondence is a follow-up on a committee hearing with Uisce Éireann on 24 June 2016 from Niall Gleeson, CEO, providing a response to requests for further information that was not available at the meeting. Responses are related to local supply issues, the number of new developments that can be serviced by new water supply projects, the level of engagement at the community clinics, the total accounted for in annual local authority rates demands and the percentage of the Uisce Éireann capital programme that will be used for this project. Are members happy to proceed? Agreed. That concludes the correspondence for today.

I read an article this morning by the Minister, Deputy Chambers, talking about a new risk appetite statement on critical infrastructure. I think he said he was going to bring it to the Cabinet over the next couple of weeks. Is there any chance we could have him in to discuss that?

He is coming in early next term but he has not planned to come in. Is this our last meeting? There is nothing scheduled for next week.

Could we ask him in next week?

We could ask. I imagine it might be hard to get him but there would be no harm in asking.

We will try to organise that if we can. We should just have a specific topic.

That is a good topic. It is relevant. It is a little bit nebulous in media reporting; there was not much detail on it in the report. It could be no harm to discuss it.

It is relevant to our committee.

Could the Deputy specify exactly what she wants to bring him in to discuss, so it is clear for the committee?

I want to know what his plans are. I want to know what he is planning on bringing to Cabinet.

In terms of the risk plan. He indicated that----

He called it a risk appetite statement.

In a short timeframe he might not be able to come. Maybe we can get some correspondence back outlining what he means or he can give us an indication of what might be going to come out. We do not want the full statement, but just clarity around the stated intention, at minimum. We could ask for it and we might get something back. We can share what we get back.

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach

Before we move to the next business, we will suspend briefly while we bring in the witnesses.