6. (1) The Government shall, within 3 months of the laying before each House of the Oireachtas of a national adaptation framework in accordance with section 5(6), request such Ministers of the Government as they consider appropriate to submit to the Government, within a specified period, a plan (in this Act referred to as a “sectoral adaptation plan”) to be made by each such Minister of the Government to whom such request is made in relation to a matter for which each such Minister of the Government has responsibility.

F10[(1A) The Government may request 2 or more Ministers of the Government to jointly make and submit a sectoral adaptation plan under subsection (1) (in this section referred to as a "joint sectoral adaptation plan"), in relation to a matter for which such Ministers of the Government share responsibility.]

(2) A sectoral adaptation plan shall specify the adaptation policy measures the Minister of the Government concerned, having regard to the approved national adaptation framework, proposes to adopt for the purposes of—

(a) enabling adaptation to the effects of climate change to be achieved in relation to the matter to which the sectoral adaptation plan relates, and

(b) enabling the achievement of the F11[national climate objective].

(3) A Minister of the Government to whom a request F12[under subsection (1) or (1A) has been made] shall, not later than the expiration of such period as the Government specify, make, and submit to the Government for approval, a sectoral adaptation plan and, in the preparation of such plan, each such Minister of the Government shall—

(a) consult with any other Ministers of the Government as the Minister specifies under subsection (4),

(b) consult with the Agency,

(c) have regard to the national adaptation framework approved by the Government F13[…], and

(d) consult with the Advisory Council.

(4) For the purposes of the consultation referred to in subsection (3)(a) to be carried out by a Minister of the Government to whom a request has been made F12[under subsection (1) or (1A)], the Minister shall specify one or more other Ministers of the Government with whom that Minister of the Government is to consult.

(5) A Minister of the Government to whom a request has been made F12[under subsection (1) or (1A)] shall, before submitting a sectoral adaptation plan to the Government—

(a) publish, in such manner as he or she considers appropriate, a draft of the sectoral adaptation plan 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 sectoral adaptation plan, as the case may be, 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).

(6) The Government may—

(a) approve, or

(b) approve, subject to such modifications as they consider appropriate,

a sectoral adaptation plan submitted to them under this section.

(7) F12[A Minister of the Government, or 2 or more Ministers of the Government in the case of a joint sectoral adaptation plan, may,] at any time, make and submit to the Government for approval a plan (in this section also referred to as a “sectoral adaptation plan”) revising or replacing an approved sectoral adaptation plan.

(8) The Government may vary or revise a sectoral adaptation plan approved by them under this section.

(9) A sectoral adaptation plan shall not be implemented unless it has been approved by the Government in accordance with this section.

(10) Where F12[under subsection (1) or (1A)], the Government requests the Minister to make a sectoral adaptation plan, for the purposes of subsection (3)(a), the Minister shall consult with any other Minister of the Government as he or she considers appropriate.

F10[(11) 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).

(12) A reference in this Act to a sectoral adaptation plan shall, where the context admits, be construed as a reference to a joint sectoral adaptation plan.]