Amendments Nos. 18, 22, 23, 33, 35, 45, 54 and 55 are related and may be discussed together. Is it agreed? Agreed.

The Minister of State can speak to it as they were grouped together by agreement.

I thank the Senator. We will press the amendment when we get to amendment No. 35.

Amendments Nos. 20, No. 1 to amendment No. 20, 29, amendment No. 1 to No. 29, 30, amendment No.1 to No. 30, 31 and amendment No.1 to No.31 are all related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

It is quite complex, there are a number of amendments.

The previous group comprised amendments Nos. 35, 45, 54 and 55.

As no other Senators wish to speak, I invite the Minister of State to respond.

Amendment No. 21 in the name of Senator Keogan has been ruled out of order because it is not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill.

Amendment No. 24 in the names of Senators Stephenson and Higgins has been ruled out of order because it is in conflict with the principle of the Bill.

The Cathaoirleach ruled amendment No. 24 out of order because it would have made the commencement of certain provisions of the Bill contingent on non-statutory actions such as the preparation of reports and confirmation of compliance with the Aarhus Convention. It is a long-established precedent that making commencement contingent on non-statutory administration action which is external to the provisions of the Bill itself is in conflict with the provisions of the Bill. The amendment must be ruled out order in acco…

Amendments Nos. 26 and 27, amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 27, amendment No. 28, and amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 28 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Government amendment No. 27 has already been discussed with amendment No. 26.

Amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 27, in the names of Senators Stephenson and Higgins, has already been discussed with amendment No. 26.

Government amendment No. 28 has already been discussed with amendment No. 26.

Amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 28, in the names of Senators Stephenson and Higgins, has already been discussed with amendment No. 26.

Government amendment No. 29 has already been discussed with amendment No. 20.

Amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 29, in the names of Senators Stephenson and Higgins, has already been discussed with amendment No. 20.

Government amendment No. 30 has already been discussed with amendment No. 20.

Amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 30, in the names of Senators Stephenson and Higgins, has already been discussed with amendment No. 20.

Government amendment No. 31 has already been discussed with amendment No. 20.