5. (1) (a) The Minister shall, not later than 24 months after the passing of this Act, make, and submit to the Government for approval, a plan, which shall be known as a national climate change adaptation framework (in this Act referred to as a “national adaptation framework”).

(b) The Minister—

(i) shall review a national adaptation framework approved by the Government under this section not less than once in every period of 5 years, and

(ii) may, having regard to that review and the requirements of adaptation in relation to the effects of climate change, make and submit to the Government for approval, a national adaptation framework.

(2) A national adaptation framework shall—

(a) specify the national strategy for the application of adaptation measures in different sectors and by a local authority in its administrative area in order to—

(i) reduce the vulnerability of the State to the negative effects of climate change, and

(ii) avail of positive effects of climate change that may occur,

and

(b) take into account any existing obligation of the State under the law of the European Union or any international agreement, referred to in section 2.

(3) The Minister shall, before submitting a national adaptation framework to the Government for approval—

(a) publish, in such manner as he or she considers appropriate, a draft of the national adaptation framework that he or she proposes to make,

(b) publish a notice on the internet and in more than one newspaper circulating in the State inviting members of the public and any interested parties to make submissions in writing in relation to the proposed national adaptation framework within such period (not exceeding 2 months from the date of the publication of the notice) as may be specified in the notice, and

(c) have regard to any submissions made pursuant to, and in accordance with, a notice under paragraph (b).

(4) The Government may—

(a) approve, or

(b) approve, subject to such modification as they consider appropriate, a national adaptation framework submitted to them under this section.

(5) The Government may, at any time, vary or revise a national adaptation framework approved by them under this section.

F8[(5A) For the purposes of performing their respective functions under this section, the Minister and the Government shall have regard to the matters specified in section 4(8).]

(6) A national adaptation framework shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is approved by the Government.

(7) F9[…]

(8) A Minister of the Government shall, in the performance of his or her functions, have regard to a national adaptation framework approved by the Government under this section.

(9) F9[…]