Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I note the reasons the Minister has outlined for not being able to accept the amendment but there are a couple of things I would like to point out to him. This is essential to the provision of power on this island regardless of what type of Brexit happens, but particularly if it is a hard Brexit. This is not something that can be left to chance. On the issue of what way this would go down north of the Border, I do not see anybody there objecting to this because their electricity supply is on a knife edge. There are times when they do not have sufficient electricity. My information is that they are dependent on electricity from the Twenty-six Counties. As we move further away from fossil fuels, their position will be weakened further and they will very dependant on power from the Twenty-six Counties. I would argue that this is an important all-Ireland measure.

I take on board some of the points made by the Minister but I reiterate that a lot of what we are doing on Brexit is predicated on the British Government or, possibly, a future Northern Ireland Assembly, taking similar legislation actions and putting similar regulations in place. This is another necessary measure. If the Minister is concerned about this proposal being overreaching in terms of what can be done north of the Border but he is open to reflecting on and tweaking the amendment to provide for what can be done in this State and to bringing it forward on Committee Stage in the Seanad, that is fair enough. If not, I will be pressing the amendment.

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