Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

Based on that level of ignorance the motion asks us, at a time of growing concern over the availability and price of hydrocarbons, to freeze the issuing of any further exploration licences and the establishment of procedures and bodies that would ensure no indigenous supplies of gas or oil would come to this country virtually ad infinitum. This group of intrepid parliamentarians appear to believe we should leave ourselves at the mercy of the volatile market situation we face currently and refuse to exploit our own natural resources for the benefit of this country.

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