Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018 is about to come before the select committee for detailed scrutiny. I seek clarity on the Government's position on ending oil and gas exploration. Last Friday, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment tweeted the following: "The number and capability of exploration companies involved is a welcome development and hopefully we will see an increase in drilling and the realisation of our oil and gas potential in the coming years." It is hard to believe but that tweet came directly from the Department with responsibility for climate action. It was deleted on Saturday. Will the Tánaiste indicate whether it was deleted because it is no longer the Government's policy to increase fossil fuel exploration or because the Department was embarrassed that it made clear, in black and white and for all to see, not only that this Government is not taking climate action seriously, but also, at a time when we all know we need to keep 80% of known fossil fuels in the ground, it seems to be hoping, wishing and dreaming of a deadly fossil fuel future?

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