Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tonight in Ballyneety, County Limerick, a meeting is being held by concerned citizens over a plant like this that is suggested for a disused quarry in the area. The Government wants to bring in emergency legislation to provide that an environmental impact assessment does not have to be done. Is the Government opening the doors for a unit like this to be put anywhere in the country without such an assessment being done? If I build a house tomorrow morning, an environmental impact study is done. If a farmer wants to build a slurry tank, an environmental impact assessment is done. However, if you want to build a big gas unit or put in huge diesel generators, you do not have to do that.

Two years or a year and a half ago, I mentioned Fossetts Circus here. It was a big laugh at the time. My God, we could put a show on the road with the amount of stuff that is going on here. It is going around in circles. The Government could do a sell-out and would probably make enough money to cover the increased energy costs in this country with the farcical things it brings in front of us. It puts every business, person and householder in the country under financial pressure. It closed Shannonbridge and Lanesborough, sold the equipment and now has to bring in emergency legislation because we have not got enough power. If a director of a business made a decision like that, he or she would be gone out the door and fired on the spot. However, the Government just says it made a mistake and will now cost the taxpayer more money for electricity.

Does the Minister of State knows how much it costs to produce a MWh of electricity in this country? It costs €50. Does he know what was charged in October 2022? It was €154.70 per MWh is what the companies charged. Then the Government came in with a cap of €120 per MWh. That is still 140% profit made on the back of every man, woman, child and businessperson in this country, along with the taxes that go on top of it. Do you know something? It is beyond words. How can the Minister of State sit here and look at this? What is the problem in this country? The Government comes out with grants. The grants for solar panels for a house allow for a maximum of 6 kW. People came to me and said they wanted to put on 20 kW because they will be able to help the country. No, they can only apply for the grant on a maximum of 6 kW. People with CHP units can provide their own electricity and, if there is an overspill, they will send it back to the grid. The power companies are saying no to overspill back onto the grid. Why? Because the grid cannot take it.

Our ESB, sewerage and water infrastructure have never been invested in but now the Government has the idea of running diesel generators. It has already taxed people out of existence with diesel and petrol. It takes exorbitant taxes of 50% in petrol and 44% in diesel. Now it is burning diesel in generators to provide power after closing down plants. If you could write a book as good as this, it would be a bestseller.

I thank the Minister of State for coming here and listening to us, whereas his leader does not have the courage to sit down across the floor from us. The second we stand to talk he leaves. That is the mark of the man. Every time we go to speak, he gets up and leaves.

He will be leaving soon enough, and the sooner, the better.

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