Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. Deputy Dessie Ellis is our spokesperson on transport but he is currently in the Dáil Chamber as there was a timetable clash and he sends his apologies. I represent the north-west Sligo and north Leitrim area, but whoever is to represent it next time around will cover Sligo, Leitrim, south Donegal and west Cavan. The chambers of commerce in those areas will smile ruefully when they hear me talking about natural gas since we are not on the pipeline. It is the subject of a lot of dissatisfaction in the region. We feel that not being on the pipeline puts us in the north west at a competitive disadvantage while the countryside around us is being fracked to see if natural gas can be had from us. We are not too happy about this situation. I believe Senator Mooney also referred to this.

The economic point is made that compressed natural gas is 79 cent a litre and diesel is €1.19, which is very logical and stands up. One of the problems appears to be the number of CNG vehicles to be converted or bought as CNG vehicles. The second problem appears to be that unless people know they have enough range to get from one outlet to another, it will not work. Will the witnesses clarify if the stations need to be stand-alone or can they cohabit with dirty energy forecourts?