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

First, on the voucher the Government gives out for electricity, I hope that this time people who live over their premises get the rebate back because the last time they did not. Second, if the Minister of State wants solutions, I have a suggestion. In six to seven weeks, Lanesborough and Shannonbridge power stations can burn biomass. We are exporting biomass because we have no place to use it and we could use it there. I have talked to people in the ESB and they said it is no problem and it would take six to seven weeks to get it up and running. I mention Derrybrien wind farm. Here we are saying that the EU said this, that and the other. Is the EU our master now or are we going to leave people cold and in the dark? The reason this has happened is bad policy from the EU down through the years. What has happened in this market is the ESB was here one time and because of EU law it had to be broken up, no more than Bord Gáis is being broken up at the moment. Now the EU is finally seeing that it was a mistake that this was done through the years. If the ESB was in total control of our energy and was able to put the money into it then it would not have us in the mess we are in at the moment.

I want to hear the plan the Government has going forward because I heard that the emergency task force has met. From what I have heard there does not seem to be a plan going forward. The one thing that needs to happen is that if the data centres are knocked off first, heavy industry is protected and we must make sure that the ordinary people are provided for. To be frank about it, if we run through any more problems or people worrying in this country, we will need to bring a motion to the Dáil on the Minister and the position he has taken. The lights could go out in this country and it cannot be tolerated. We are running a risk with the agenda we are following. Whatever madness has gone on during the past two or three years between Europe and politicians in Ireland means we will run short of food, heat and electricity.

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