Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The basis of the question is the effect of the SIPTU decision on the partnership talks and whether it has been taken into account.

Will the Forfás report be central to the partnership talks given the stark message it sends to Government regarding the doubling of the country's oil consumption in the past 15 years? Does Ireland face a difficult future given that average oil consumption per capita here is 50% above the European Union average? Will these issues have a bearing on a social partnership agreement? Will the Government produce a strategy on reducing energy demand and delivering freedom from oil dependency and, if so, will it form part of the social partnership process? If that strategy is to have real meaning will it be taken on board in a social partnership agreement?

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