Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. The very specific references being made to these particular locations do not help with the issue in terms of the clear advice I have that we cannot do this. We cannot make tax support available to locations that are smaller than our country. In particular, I hope Deputy Naughten can appreciate the practical difficulties we would have in making it available to particular towns and areas that are even smaller than county level. The Deputy is correct with regard to the new designation afforded to parts of the country with regard to post-coal status but I have checked and it does not change the advice I have on this matter.

With regard to what Deputy Cowen said, it is the case that while it is fair to say we knew there was a risk of the licence not being available in future, that was not known at that point in time because the decision had not been made by the semi-State company on whether it would reapply for a licence. Of course, neither the workers nor their representatives were aware of what was going to unfold two weeks ago.

I ask Deputies not to ask for a report in the Finance Bill because I do not believe the Bill is the place for a commitment to reports or measures that I have told the House that I, the Government or a future Government cannot produce or take. Given the importance of this matter, I will commit to coming back to the finance committee or the Committee on Budgetary Oversight, perhaps at the end of the first 12 weeks of next year, to give an account of how the carbon pricing money is being used, where it is going and the degree to which planning is under way to respond to the issues being raised by the two Deputies.

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