Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

——again and hearing about the hospitals and the ambulances. He would remind us it was a waste of money with no return for it and no likelihood of any return. The Deputy cannot have it both ways. Since 1971 we have had 121 exploration wells. Just four of those wells have been successful: Kinsale in 1971, Ballycotton in 1989, Corrib in 2001 — with which the Deputy will be very familiar — and Seven Heads in 2002. There has been one commercial discovery for every 30 exploration wells drilled. This means 30 exploration wells at a minimum cost of €20 million each. The Deputy can do his own sums.

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