Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

People are asking why this Government is so much more loyal to the oil sheikhs of OPEC than it is to the farmers struggling in this country when the potential of the oil fields of Ireland — which is effectively what is under discussion — are not being realised. In the interests of farmers, factory workers, motorists and every taxpayer, will the Taoiseach give this matter the priority it has not received and develop the sector, as has been done by other law-abiding countries which have followed procedure? There needs to be movement from the Government on this issue. It needs to stop thinking about the stallion tax and start thinking about exemption on biofuels.

See this speech in context