Susan O’Keeffe: IFAC’s analysis deserve to be discussed by civil servants and advisors in a public way

Any rejection of the Council’s advice must be grounded in solid argument

IFAC analysis suggests there will be ‘significant additional costs’ incurred in efforts to tackle the effect of climate change that do not fall under other changes to be delivered under the NDP. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Advice always carries a weakening caveat. No matter who is supplying advice at any time, in reality, that advice is really an opinion, broader and deeper if formed by a group, but an opinion nonetheless. Advice has a role to play across all strategic and planning decisions, especially on behalf of a nation, but that role can be hazy and ill-defined. And sometimes deliberately so.

One of the less obvious fallouts from this pandemic is ...