Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The EU has a proposal to bring gas and nuclear in under the green banner. I do not have a problem with it where gas is concerned. However, the fact is we are relying on gas coming from Russia and it is like a tap at the moment, in that it can be turned up or down at any stage. US President Joe Biden announced yesterday they were going to do all in their power to ensure Europe was going to be okay and bring in liquefied natural gas, LNG. Ironically enough, Ireland as a country and the Government have decided that they are going to block a proposed LNG terminal. Yesterday, I listened in astonishment to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, speaking on the radio about offshore wind. While I have no problem with offshore wind, at the moment it produces 1% of our energy. With the best will in the world it is nine or ten years away.

The reality is that in March 2020 a litre of green diesel for a tractor cost between 41 cent and 42 cent for the farming community, the contractors who do the work and indeed the builders around the country who work machines for building houses. Yesterday, it cost between 92 cent and 94 cent in bulk. For the people who drive to work every day, white diesel today costs €1.68 and petrol €1.78. These are people who, as the Tánaiste has said before, get up early in the morning and go to work. I fully agree with looking after the people who are on low incomes, such as those on the fuel allowance, and there has been much talk of that. However, what is this Government's plan? I do not mean eight years down the line when we get the offshore turbines. It is not going to happen tomorrow. What is our plan for the next three to six months for the farmer whose fertiliser has now gone from €350 or €400 depending on the type to €870 or €970, again dependent on type? What is going to happen the contractor who cuts the silage for the farmer with the Government putting in another carbon tax in May on green diesel? Bear in mind white diesel in 2020 was €1.20. Green diesel is going to be €1, from what we can see, over the coming weeks. What is going to happen to the people who get up early in the mooring and drive to work, bearing in mind that we have not the facility for the LNG and that we basically brought in legislation in the previous Dáil that said there would be no more exploration? If the EU puts gas under the green energy banner, will there be exploration then? Will the legislation be changed so Ireland can do that? Are we going to put in the LNG stations so we can take it in? What are we going to do for those people who get up early in the morning and are now paying exorbitant rates to produce food if they are farmers or to go to work if they are consumers?

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