Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I am astonished that a country that has more than 90% of its landmass under water does not have a Department to look after its interests. The one thing I can say on behalf of the former Taoiseach, the late Charles J. Haughey, is that he established a Department of the Marine. It is astonishing that Fianna Fáil in Government decided to scrap that Department. The marine is where all our natural resources are based and where there is enormous potential for job creation and inward investment - nothing but advantages. This is a vain attempt to transfer responsibilities. What does the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government know about sea matters? That it will be responsible for future investments in this regard is outrageous because it is primarily concerned with onshore matters.

We are living in a different era. The Foreshore Act 1933 never envisaged Ireland extracting gas from its seabed or the installation of ocean energy devices like offshore turbines. Such developments are the country's future in inward investment and job creation, but the 1933 Act was never intended to handle them and nothing in the Bill will prepare us for future investment opportunities.

Speaking as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security, the Government has failed to attract investment that is otherwise leaving us daily for Scotland, Portugal and Denmark. We have failed to deal with the applications for investment in offshore renewable energy. It is disgraceful that we are still depending on legislation dating back to 1933. The Act's remit stretches form the high water mark to the 11-nautical mile limit, comprising 57% of our landmass. Future development will occur beyond the 12-mile limit.

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