Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Is there too much focus on the needs of companies in respect of energy as compared to the focus on consumers? There is a reasonable balance. It is important that small and large energy users have access to energy as competitively priced as they can source because they give employment. Wearing their other hats, consumers are workers in these companies and it would be damaging to employment if there was not emphasis on competitively priced energy for industry and for companies. I agree with Deputy Michael Colreavy that we must bring available instruments to bear to ensure energy is as competitively priced for consumers as can be. That is more difficult in a country that imports 96% of its gas and 100% of its oil. There is so much we can do and are doing. This morning, I opened an Engineers Ireland seminar and workshop on performance contracting. The impetus we have given to developing a new retrofit industry, stemming from the new efficiency fund where up to €70 million is available for exemplar projects with the engineers of Ireland meeting today to discuss the implementation of it, means there can be considerable savings in energy costs as a result. It is a question of balance. Consumers' consumption is determined by their income and employment and if they do not have jobs in companies they will not be able to consume a great deal. There must be a balance. The thrust of policy is towards the completion of the internal market and it is a two-way street. Where there is interconnectivity and quality infrastructure, there is better security of supply and there is also an impact on prices. It is a two-way street. We have seen this in respect of the interconnector's first year operating between Britain and Ireland. It may not be an ongoing situation but where we import energy, it brings downwards pressure on prices in the domestic market and that is a good thing.

I cannot agree with Deputy Colreavy with regard to wasting taxpayers' money because the EPA is doing a definitive study on hydraulic fracturing. The EPA is acknowledged to be an independent expert professional agency whose integrity is not questioned and it is imperative we get the best advice available. At different stages of history, new technologies have emerged that initially frightened people or in respect of which people had concerns. In the case of hydraulic fracturing, as articulated by Deputy Michael Colreavy, citizens have concerns about environmental implications and it is absolutely the duty of Government to ensure the concerns of people are examined by the best professional advice we have available. I do not know what will be in the report of the EPA but I am sure it will stand up to scrutiny when it emerges. In the interim, there is no fracking going on in this country. It is bad enough listening to complaints about things that are going on in the country and I do not think we should be imagining complaints. No fracking is going on and we will have a definitive scientific study. When available, it will be published and I am sure the committee will go into it in detail.