Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)

The price of gas is increasing, while older people die of hyperthermia every winter. There is no doubt that more will die because of this increase.

According to surveys conducted by the Department and industry experts, oil and gas supplies worth hundreds of billions of euro are located off our coasts. When the Corrib gas comes ashore, it will not result in any reductions in the price of energy. We will pay the same price for that gas as we would for supplies from Russia or elsewhere. The opening of the longest pipeline in world, the Langeled pipeline from Norway to Britain, will mean that it will no longer be valid to argue that we need security of supply because there is plenty of gas to go around.

While there have been delays in bringing gas ashore, the price of a resource we have sold for a pittance is increasing continually. The supply of gas to towns in County Mayo, which I welcome, has overturned the argument for bringing Corrib gas ashore because the pipeline which was supposed to bring gas away from County Mayo can now supply the county instead.

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