Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I am glad to make a contribution on this Bill. It is stated in the objectives that this Bill tidies up old Acts, which have served us well but need to be tidied up. We need changes to modernise and to bring us to where we are in 2011. This country is far behind others in energy conservation. We have paid lip service to it over many years in spite of a number of fuel crises. I welcome the energy reduction programme, which is necessary. We have commitments to our European partners and within our world remit. We must be serious about this. We must use the carrot and stick approach and bring people with us other than using only the big stick and trying to compel people to do something. The Irish people will follow if they are encouraged but they will not be driven. This is right because we were driven for long enough by a foreign occupation and we have an inherent feeling about that. We have a view on being told what to do, what to use and what not to do.

Oil companies leave much to be desired. Some have disappeared, others have entered the market. Where is the competition in the market? There is price-fixing. We had a debate on the Competition Authority today. The Competition Authority may as well not be there. I am told that it has been in existence since 1991 but former chairpersons of the authority have resigned. During the Celtic tiger years, the authority could not function due to a lack of funding. I would like to see the energy regulator get serious with big oil companies. There is price-fixing in terms of the prices paid at the pumps. This leaves a role for those who launder fuel. There has been a clampdown on it recently, which is welcome. Not only is the fuel of poor quality, people are supporting the black economy and putting money into the pockets of gangsters. Sometimes people are driven to go to those areas but they are foolish because it is penny-wise and pound foolish.

I am shocked at the price of fuel at the pumps. It was very bad this time last year, increased in the spring, decreased over the summer but has increased again. At the thought of winter, oil companies increase prices and add charges because they know the nights are getting longer and the climate is getting colder. This is an opportunity for the energy regulator to do some meaningful work and impose controls. The Bill mentions our national commitments but these people must be compliant and must draw the line. The Competition Authority is ineffectual so someone with teeth and resources must be appointed. NERA is my bugbear and it has plenty of people going around trying to close down businesses that are on their knees. Some of these people should be directed to bigger companies that have the power and wherewithal to fight off any investigation by going to the High Court. We must turn our attention there.

Many speakers have referred to the fact that 90% of our fuel is fossil fuel. We import almost all of it, including all our coal and oil, which is a pity. We cannot produce coal here and we have a poor history of mining. This is a worrying situation because we are vulnerable. We are at the whim of world prices, price-fixing and cartels. Cutting turf and bringing it home for the winter is a pastime of many families and communities but now that has been prohibited. All sorts of threats have been issued for next spring if people attempt to cut turf. They will all be locked up and their vehicles will be impounded. That is wrong because turf cutting is part of our heritage and our culture. Fuel poverty may be forced on those who are not allowed to carry on practices that have been handed down from generation to generation.

It is shocking that we only store 11 days of gas and oil supply. In times of unrest in parts of the Middle East, we have seen what can happen with shortages. We are too vulnerable. The Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources of the last Dáil visited Ringaskiddy and other plants. We saw the valuable work that goes on but it is far too small a supply to have on stand-by. Eleven days is not even two weeks. This is a major issue.

I had many battles and fundamental disagreements with the previous Minister, Mr. John Gormley. He had many issues on the Climate Change Bill and I was concerned about it with regard to agriculture. The baby should not have been thrown out with the bath water.

The Minister, Deputy Hogan - or Big Phil as I know him affectionately - dropped the ball. Kilkenny are good at putting the ball into the net but he dropped the ball, or one could call it a bombshell, regarding the Climate Change Bill. He even caught some of his Cabinet colleagues by surprise. Knee-jerk reactions like that send out the wrong signals to all our partners.

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