Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

"—recognises:

—that the development of lreland's natural resources benefits the citizen of the State:

—that the present fiscal terms for petroleum are based on the present perception of prospectivity in offshore Ireland and recognise that we compete with other jurisdictions for exploration investment;

—that the State is in receipt of royalties in relation to its major production facility at Kinsale;

—that the completion of a comprehensive (and expensive) work programme is a requirement of frontier licences and failure to complete such a programme will result in either relinquishment or revocation of the licence;

—that in practice Irish ports are widely used by petroleum companies but an obligation for the compulsory use of Irish ports would be anti-competitive and contrary to EU law;

—the need for the State, as part of its energy policy, to increase the share of petroleum to be provided from indigenous resources in offshore Ireland; and

—the implementation by the State of its requirements under the strategic environmental assessment directive (2001/42/EC);

notes:

—that work is already under way by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on a review of the State's present fiscal terms to ensure that the State receives its appropriate share;

—that the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is engaged in the monitoring of petroleum exploration and production operations to ensure that the State is fully informed and fully benefits from these activities;

—that proper and comprehensive consultation is carried out in relation to petroleum activities; and

—the continuing enhancement of policy in relation to renewable and alternative energy;

rejects:

—a freeze on the issue of any further exploration licences including frontier exploration licences which would not be in the national interest;

— the need for the establishment of any new agency or inspectorate in light of the structures currently in place and being put in place; and

—the need for any change in existing Government policy in relation to petroleum activities other than the review of fiscal terms currently under way and any changes which might be necessary following the publication of the Advantica and other reports."

With regard to Deputy Ferris's final comment on people's character, the phrases "people in glass houses" and "throwing stones" come to mind.

The Government has one aim in managing Ireland's oil and gas resources, namely, to benefit our citizens. If we do not harness these resources, the State makes nothing out of them and the citizen does not benefit at all. Despite the fairytale world in which most of the Deputies who have spoken live, oil and gas are notoriously difficult to find——

See this speech in context