M J Nolan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Deputies Devins and Fiona O'Malley. Listening to the debate last night, what struck me most forcefully is that ten years ago, this country received 85% of its gas requirements from the Kinsale gas field. We are now dependent on outside supplies for 90% of our gas requirements. We need an indigenous gas supply because in the future, Ireland will be at the end of a very long supply chain bringing gas from Russia through Europe. It is worth repeating that we will be very vulnerable in such a scenario.

The Government and the Minister have bent over backwards to try to encourage international and indigenous companies, of which there are few, to explore and discover gas off our coasts. Certain speakers last night compared Norway with Ireland but this comparison is unfair. Any discoveries of oil off the coast of Norway have been in significantly shallower waters where it is much easier to extract oil and bring on shore and Norway's strike rate is far better than that achieved off the Irish coast.

The Corrib gas field is a major infrastructural project which has the potential to play a significant role in the economic and social regeneration of Ireland, particularly Mayo and the west. My county of Carlow benefited from the supply of natural gas from the Kinsale field. When gas from the field was piped to Dublin, both Carlow and Kilkenny were able to take spurs off it to provide gas to households and allow industry to convert to gas, which was more economical at the time than heavy fuel oils. It is important to repeat that the Corrib development has received all the approvals and consent required by law. If we go down the road of introducing legislation and if the EU continues to introduce regulations and standards which we ignore, we will assume the status of a banana republic with which nobody in the international commercial arena will wish to deal. It is important because the eyes of the world, particularly those of Europe and the United States, are watching what is occurring here in this regard.

There has been talk about safety standards. I am satisfied that the best international safety standards are being afforded to this project and I compliment the Minister on bringing in an independent company to assess and do a risk audit of the development.

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