Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Other energy sources provide possible alternatives. Forfás refers to wind and wave power and we certainly support research and development in those areas with a view to expanding the proportion of energy needs supplied from those sources.

One of the other areas of more immediate importance, especially in the light of the Bill's reference to the all-island energy market and the gas interconnector, is how best to utilise and control the gas reserves which lie off our coast. The Corrib field is the best known through its connection with the ongoing struggle of the Rossport community regarding the safety of the proposed pipeline there. Issues of revenue are also raised, but a more important matter is who will have control over such an important and potentially valuable resource in terms of both supplying future needs and economic value. It has long been our belief that such a resource, along with other reserves and exploration fields off our coast, must be subject to national control. This requires a radical overhaul of the licensing and revenue conditions which govern the sector. This must be seriously debated in the context of future energy policy and we will seek to build it into this legislation on Committee Stage.

Another key area in the future will be biofuels. At present, the EU has issued a number of directives which set targets for the proportion of vehicle fuels to be supplied from this source. Although the targets are relatively small, the ability of this State to meet them must be questioned. This is despite the advantages this country has in terms of domestic production and distillation of energy crops. This issue was raised by my colleague, Deputy Ferris, in the context of the shameful betrayal of the Irish sugar beet sector and the possibility that beet and the surviving processing plants at Carlow and Mallow could be redirected from the production of sugar to the production of biofuels. This, along with the promotion of growing other energy crops, would present not only a means of establishing a significant national source of future energy supplies but also represent a potentially significant new area of growth for both farming and the industrial processing of such fuels.

I urge that the proposed commission should also include as one of its responsibilities the examination of fuel poverty. A number of reports have shown this to be a serious issue for those on social welfare and low incomes. A series of price increases have added to the difficulties of many households and addressing this would represent a significant contribution to lessening the burden on those living in poverty. I urge that proposals for an all-Ireland energy market and the provision of gas interconnectors would lead to the provision of cheaper energy to domestic customers throughout the island rather than provide another opportunity for profits.

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