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

I need to bring to the Minister's attention the high level of anger, dissatisfaction and frustration felt by many people in Kerry because of two things, namely, the Shannon LNG project and the Killarney bypass. Energy security is being compromised, jobs are being lost and, in the case of the Killarney bypass, road safety is being compromised. Shannon LNG's application to An Bord Pleanála for approval for a gas terminal on the Ballylongford land bank in north Kerry was turned down in recent days. The refusal was primarily due to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan's, submission against the application, which he made many months ago. Indeed, the language used by An Bord Pleanála in the refusal included the same words as the Minister, Deputy Ryan's, submission. This is political interference at the highest level. Deputy Ryan used his influence as a Minister to block a planning application as he highlighted that the Shannon LNG application was against Government policy. I call for a high-level investigation by the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, or whoever, into the Minister's actions. As majority partners in government, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are complicit in what has happened to this application for allowing the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to abuse his position in the way he has, especially the Tánaiste and former Taoiseach, the Fianna Fáil Party leader, Deputy Micheál Martin. When he was canvassing for the election of Deputy Foley in the last general election, he promised the people of north Kerry that he would back Shannon LNG and it would become a reality. He has let us down.

The Minister, Deputy Ryan, has also blocked the progression of the next part of the upgrading of the N22 Cork-Kerry economic corridor, also known as the Killarney bypass, which has been on the table and promised for more than 20 years. It is vital for the economy of our county and for the safety of the 23,000 people who use the road on a daily basis. He has stopped Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, doing the necessary environmental and economic capacity assessments. As I already stated, more than 23,000 vehicles use this road already. TII was to notify the landowners and the public of the preferred route. Four routes are being considered. TII now cannot do so because it does not have the funding. Much land has been sterilised for many years and many landowners are contemplating legal action to get their land back to use as they want, which is their legal right.

Is what many people are saying to me now right, which is that the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has neglected County Kerry for driving tests? Is it because he does not want young people on the roads? They have been waiting since last January and will wait until next January to be allowed to apply for a driving test. That is not fair on the young lads in our county.

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