Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Will the Minister indicate, in light of what he correctly identifies as the need to depend less on fossil fuels and more on alternative energies, how he might keep pace with other European countries such as Austria, Scandinavian countries and Germany, that have pioneered activity in this area? Notwithstanding what he said in his reply on the Kyoto principles, if the Minister accelerated the programme in line with best practice as shown in other European countries, could he revise his projections with a view to achieving the objectives set in Kyoto?

In regard to exploration and royalties accruing from finds either on or off shore, is it not a fact there is some public concern about the extent to which the State can benefit directly from royalties from any such finds and that now might be a good time to review this issue, while giving sufficient incentives to those involved in mineral, oil or gas exploration while at the same time giving the State a fall-back position whereby it gets the best deal possible in those circumstances?

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