Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's speech this evening. However, I take issue with parts of it. I also welcome the response to what was a good report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

This afternoon I launched the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Bill 2013. The Bill seeks to set out some of the recommendations of the joint committee’s report on offshore oil and gas. The Bill was born out of frustration. It is a pity that it has been a whole year from when the report was released to it being discussed in the House. It is wrong that it takes an Opposition Deputy such as me to introduce legislation to try to enact the changes that were recommended in the report. At the time, the recommendations were supported by all parties represented on the committee and the Independents.

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