Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Let me return to the issue of renewable resources. With regard to compulsion, it would be greatly appreciated if the Minister and his Department requested, as a matter of urgency, that access be allowed to the renewable resources to which I referred.

The Minister's colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, should be very favourably disposed to intervening in respect of groups such as BirdWatch Ireland. Only this week a major project was stifled and delayed, at a huge additional cost to the developers and in spite of the fact that the local authority had recognised as very favourable the potential of the project to bring jobs to the area and increase supply. There is already a deficit in County Galway at large. Birdwatch Ireland has made an unbelievable objection to a simple proposal that has already received planning permission. The company in question, in order to comply with the need to show greater consideration for the environment, has agreed to reduce the number of turbines by approximately 30%. Naturally, that will necessitate reinvestment and the site plan will have to be altered. It is prepared to do that but the project is being stifled anyway. There is an absolute urgency in this regard. I welcome and support what the Minister is trying to do with regard to bio-fuel. The most important thing is to point out that there is an alternative at his fingertips. It could bring far greater benefit to the country. I ask him to consider it.

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