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

This Bill is about switching or joining Ervia to Gas Networks Ireland and putting control of the pipes under one heading. However, the question is whether there will be any gas in the pipes. As has been said, if there is any breakdown or any shortage of supply coming from the direction we are getting it at present, it is surely only common sense to say the French, the English and all mainland Europe will ensure they have gas before they will let it go west as far as Ireland.

We had a golden opportunity to have a Shannon LNG terminal on the Ballylongford land bank. The company that was behind it has invested at least €100 million in this worthwhile project. It lodged another application two and a half years ago and, lo and behold, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, put in a submission against it. I contended last week - during Leaders' Questions I raised the same issue regarding the Shannon LNG project as well as other matters concerning County Kerry - that that was a very unusual departure. I said it was not acceptable for a Minister to lodge an objection to an application like this. Indeed, when one of my family members applied for planning permission a few years ago, the director of services advised me not to make a written submission for it.

I had to be seen not to be involved, yet here we had a Minister making a submission against this application, thereby undermining the State's energy security. He has already done a great deal of harm by closing down Bord na Móna at Shannonbridge and Lanesborough. I am told many elderly people will not have briquettes this year. Briquettes were coming from Lithuania or somewhere else in recent years, but that has now been deemed illegal and there will be no briquettes to be had this winter.

People are still cutting turf in Kerry. I am glad to say I am one of them. Since 1803, turf has been cut on our bog in Kilgarvan by a Healy from Rae. That has continued through the generations, including this year when Maura Healy-Rae stood and footed the turf, brought it home herself with a dumper and put it into the shed. That is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The same will happen next year, if we live for it – we hope we do – and the year after that.

Stopping the Shannon LNG project was nonsense. We had the chance to obtain gas from South America and many other sources in the West, but that is being denied now and the State’s energy security is being compromised by the Government. We have to blame Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Like Deputy Michael Healy-Rae stated, the Tánaiste canvassed the length and breadth of north Kerry with the now Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, when both of them promised the people of north Kerry that, if they sent Norma Foley to the Dáil and if Fianna Fáil got into power, Fianna Fáil would deliver on the Shannon LNG project. A few days later when it joined with the Green Party, it signed a memorandum saying it would not support the project. That is deceit of the highest order and it must be recognised and called out as such. The Green Party is not the only party responsible, or Fine Gael to a lesser extent. Fianna Fáil has major responsibility.

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