Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are serious concerns over mining, extraction and exploration.

We know there are companies out there that want to take advantage of our marine environment. That is why it is key that this Bill puts the protections in place to ensure that cannot happen. Sinn Féin has taken the position that no more fossil fuels should be extracted. We talk about climate change. We have to get away from the use of fossil fuels. That is why we have to be very sure about what we are putting into this Bill. We talk about climate change and protecting the environment. That is central to the Bill. This is really complex and detailed legislation. I respect that and I know that the Minister of State and everyone in the Department has put this together. It is a huge job of work. It is important, however, that we scrutinise the Bill to ensure that there are no loopholes in it and that it cannot be taken advantage of by anyone looking to profit from mineral extraction or mineral mining that would go against what we want to have in the Bill and the protections we want to have in place.

We talk about LNG. As Deputies, we have made our position on that clear. LNG requires storage and infrastructure. People have concerns about fracked gas being imported. We are against the whole concept of fracking and the extraction of gas that way. Then we consider putting in an LNG storage facility, where we would import gas from other countries facing all the consequences that fracking brings. It would not be right or fair on other countries if we were to have one rule for our State and then to abuse another state where fracking takes place and where the people, especially the citizens, face the consequences of it.

When it comes to planning and development and what we are doing with this Bill, we have to be very sure that there are no loopholes and that the necessary protections are in place. Having spoken to other Deputies at committee meetings, I believe this is probably one of the most complicated, detailed Bills that will ever come before the House. That is why we need to read through it and make sure what we are doing is correct.

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