Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The current deal between Coillte and Gresham Holdings needs to be stopped immediately. As a rural Deputy, I am strongly opposed to it. The Government needs to step in and show leadership, and proper leadership that we have not seen before. I know a number of organisations, whether farming organisations like the IFA or forestry organisations like SEEFA, have expressed serious concern, and they are not alone. These stakeholders need to be listened to. I urge the Government to step in immediately.

On another issue, on 5 January the Irish Climate Science Forum, ICSF, sent the Minister of State and the Government its own scientifically informed and professional analysis of this plan that we are debating. The ICSF shares the Government's vision of a sustainable future as aspired to in COP23 but points out that in order to be achievable and socially acceptable, it must be based on the latest objective science, consistent with real-world observations, and pragmatism on the limits of mitigation and on the greater benefits of adaptation. The ICSF notes that COP23 is based on exaggerated climate science and also leads to a nonsensical strategy. Indeed, it states that the aspired to deep level of mitigation, if ever achieved, could seriously damage the Irish economy. It states that prudent mitigation should instead focus on areas with quantifiable benefits in energy efficiency, economic benefit and social gain.

In this context, given the Irish energy supply and the electricity grid, there is an increasing risk of national blackouts and the most urgent imperative is the approval of the LNG import terminal.

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