Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

I will take the points in sequence. Regarding the planning process, Deputy Quinn asked an important question. I understand Dublin City Council is the planning applicant and promoter of the project. It chose the site. As Deputies know, the Department does not have a role in that issue. I was careful throughout the debate not to make a comment on the site. Neither did I make a comment germane to the planning process because, as the House understands, as Minister, I cannot become involved. It would be wrong for the Minister of the day to involve himself or herself in commentary on an ongoing planning process. I do not wish to mislead the House in any way. I understand that unless Dublin City Council withdraws the planning and EPA applications, they will proceed and can proceed. They are not in any way tied to the financial arrangements.

Regarding the question raised by Deputies Gormley and Eoin Ryan, to be absolutely clear, Dublin City Council reached its arrangements with Elsam after the PPP process. Once the project was certified to be in compliance with the PPP process and having received the necessary clearance, the city council went to An Bord Pleanála and the EPA for a license. The council still has the prerogative to pursue both matters. The questions were fairly put and I want to be fair and clear in my answers.

In parallel, Elsam and the council had discussions on the financial side. As we now know, Danish Oil and Natural Gas, DONG, took over Elsam. It is a completely new corporate entity and does not share the same core focus as Elsam. If it wanted to progress with the project, it would require significant changes. Those changes are not possible under the PPP process. That is what Dublin City Council will notify to the company. In the circumstances that will arise from tomorrow's meeting, the council will have little option but to judge that, acting on the advice of the client's representative for the PPP, it will have to inform the successor to Elsam that it cannot make those changes.

To return to the question asked by Deputy Durkan, Members of Cabinet speak to each other all the time. It would be rather bizarre if, when members of the Cabinet are speaking to each other, they do not converse on matters of topicality. I find the question strange.

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