Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to get the opportunity to speak on this very important motion this morning. I thank Deputy Collins for highlighting the very attractive proposal of utilising the Barryroe oil and gas field off the south coast of Cork. It is understood that 365 million barrels of oil and gas are deposited there and deeper exploration could unearth much more. At a time the country is struggling to survive because of massive increased costs for oil and gas, it would surely be helpful if we could access even some of this from our own oil and gas fields in Barryroe. Moreover, as the Kinsale field is exhausted, and the Corrib field deposits of gas are waning quickly, it is vital that we utilise Barryroe and resume drilling for gas off the west coast of Kerry, which the Government stopped, as we will need gas and oil for at least 40 more years.

We should try to be as self-sufficient as possible and use our own jurisdiction to the maximum. The further away the source of oil and gas imports - that is if we are able to get them - the greater the carbon footprint. The closure of Bord na Móna in the midlands and stopping the generation of electricity in Lanesborough and Shannonbridge were short-sighted. We all know that since these generating stations were closed the cost of electricity has gone up daily. The Government should reverse this decision and utilise every bit of turf we have in the country. Turf kept this country going during the Second World War.

Shannon LNG should also get the licence to import gas from western sources such as the United States and other countries that would be minded to sell gas to us. It will not cost the country 1 cent as this company has spent several million euro to date and will totally fund the operation itself. As a reliable energy source with low emissions, gas must remain part of the energy mix. With the trouble caused by Putin and Russia and the problem that we have in the United Kingdom, we need gas from a reliable source, and we need another source now to ensure future energy security and economic prosperity.

I cannot understand it. Cork is lucky to have the Taoiseach at the present time and two senior Ministers. The Government is acting recklessly by not listening to this proposal to provide energy off the county they represent. They are also representing the country and the country depends on energy security. Continuing to expose the country to global oil increases and raking in millions of euro in every kind of tax is all reckless behaviour.

The Taoiseach promised the people of north Kerry when canvassing with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, in the 2020 general election that he would ensure Shannon LNG got over the line. Now he has allowed the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to make submissions against this proposal. This is also reckless. We have to be realistic as families need cars to go to work. There are no other options for people in rural Ireland. They need cars to go to work and to take their children to school. They are struggling. Many families are in serious jeopardy. The running costs of lorry transport has doubled. I saw the price of diesel all along the road as I came up the day before yesterday. It was €2.10 for diesel and €2.20 for petrol. Farmers and contractors are paying €1.60 a litre for green diesel. They are under immense pressure and the Government is doing nothing to help them. The Government could take less tax, but it does not want to do that. Another issue concerns private bus operators transporting children to school. The Minister is not doing enough. The Government could at least forgo the extra carbon tax and excise VAT that it is clawing back now.

The senior Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on 19 May addressed the Seanad on energy and stated:

We have never found oil in commercial quantities. All the likely sites...are in very deep, distant waters.

That is incorrect. What the Minister said is that we just do not have a lot of oil and gas reserves. These statements are incorrect, and I cannot understand why he made them. It shows his fundamental lack of knowledge on this very important matter. The Barryroe discovery is in 100 m of water, 50 km offshore and is regarded as the largest undeveloped hydrocarbon field in Europe. The accepted industrial reserve projections indicate 365 million barrels of equivalent oil and gas resources in that field. I ask the senior Minister to correct the record because he has misled the Houses of the Oireachtas.

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