James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and welcome him to the committee. When it was communicated to it a week or two ago, I was somewhat shocked to hear that the issue of the money message had reared its head again, two years after we had been told that one was not required. The Government is, at best, inconsistent and, at worst, hypocritical. There are no degrees of emergency. There is either an emergency or there is not. If the Government thinks there is no emergency, why is it stating in the Dáil that there is? Why is it voting on motions to that effect and telling us it that next week it will announce the devil and all in measures and incentives? We cannot have it both ways. Either there is an emergency or there is not. If there is one, why are we even debating this?

I do not want to rehash the policy arguments, but I will briefly touch on a few that have been mentioned. We have had the Second Stage debate. The whole point in being here is to discuss a technical measure that has been adopted by the Government to block the Bill. That is the nub of it. We have had a Second Stage debate in which the Bill was voted on by the Dáil. It has been voted on by the committee and again by the Dáil when there were attempts to block it by other procedural means. We have had the policy debates. At this committee we were looking forward to tabling constructive amendments. We thought that today or in the near future we would be moving the Bill on further.

The Minister of State should be aware that Fianna Fáil raised some of his concerns about potential exposure. We will table amendments to address some of the technical issues and lacunae that may have emerged and some of the risks to which the State might be exposed. That was already in hand. For political or other reasons the Government has decided to block the Bill and found a way to do it. This spanner has been thrown into the works at the last minute. This affects the credibility of the Government which is stating to consumers that we have to implement a carbon tax. The same does not apply to the Oireachtas which is more or less on message. Consumers' behaviour is to be influenced by measures such as the carbon tax. The Government is stating they should reduce their consumption of fossil fuels, while at the same time telling the producers to keep on burning and drilling. It seems completely incoherent and hypocritical and very unfair to all involved.

Another point I wish to make before addressing the technical points which are the real nub of the discussion concerns the arguments about our need for fossil fuels and future energy security. How can we begin to make the transition to a renewable energy economy if we do not make a start? The day we begin to move off something is the day we will start to move to the new thing. If we are forever making commitments for ten, 20 or 50 years into the future or discussing our energy needs in 2050, at what point will we begin? When it comes to renewable energy technologies, we need to start the wheel turning on investment, research, education, mindset and companies looking for opportunities. We need to start the other wheel turning in parallel. The longer one wheel is kept spinning, the longer it will take the other to start moving. The green revolution matters to jobs and technology. There are economic opportunities in engineering and research and development. Green energy opportunities are considered to be very rich on this island, but we are not going to get there any time soon if we keep trying to milk the old system.

There is another point about which I wish to ask the Minister of State. I will not say I rebut this as he may be able to tell me I am wrong. This is rehashing Second Stage but I will say it again. We are being told by the Minister of State at the committee and in other places where this issue is debated that we are exposed to energy security risks. In the absence of Irish offshore resources we will suddenly be dependent on the goodwill of President Vladimir Putin or Arab sheikhs. That is a strong argument, but there is no State exploration company. Ireland Inc. is not drilling or exploring for oil in the Porcupine Basin. To my knowledge, there is no State exploration vehicle. Firms such as Exxon and Chinese exploration companies bid for and win licences which they can sell to the highest bidder. That bidder can then explore reserves and extract and sell products. Deputy Eamon Ryan alluded to this also. I have given the Minister of State a good hearing. There is an energy security argument to be made, although I am not convinced by it. If he is correct, why is the Government not bringing forward a Bill to ring-fence future finds for the State? Am I wrong? Is there already a provision stating Irish offshore exploration licences must be ring-fenced for the economy?

I have other questions, but I will wait for the answers to the ones I have asked before moving on.