Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I must contradict the Minister's statement that his priority is just to supply energy. It is also to ensure that we move away from overheating the planet. Liquefied natural gas is the dirtiest fossil fuel imaginable - scientists argue it is as dirty as coal. What we did not know in 2008 when permission was first granted for offshore LNG licences was that methane emissions from natural gas are lethal to the planet. Since we know it now, why would we extend the licences and why would a Minister say that we must shore up our dependence on fossil fuels rather than move away from them? If LNG terminals were to be built in Ireland, it would lock this country into a fossil-fueled economy for a further 50 years. That does nothing to address our commitment to tackling climate change. In fact, we would be supplying gas to other parts of Europe.

The Minister's argument is disingenuous. He is not just the Minister for energy. Energy security is meaningless on a planet where there is no security for the people or other species living on it. That concern needs to be first and foremost in his mind.

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