Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)

I stress that the waiving of pre-legislative scrutiny, PLS, is never a good idea. I do not know what the Government has against transparency and accountability. I welcome the fact we opposed the waiving of PLS. I also welcome the fact the Government is finally acknowledging the need to invest in our grid infrastructure. It is long past time. This Bill provides for investment in energy infrastructure but it does not provide details about how this will happen. Who will be responsible for managing and ensuring value for money? The Minister of State will, I am sure, forgive us if we look at the record of the Government, its wasteful habits and capacity to spend taxpayers' money without a single care, or indeed without any attempt to inject value for money.

I will talk about families in my constituency who have experienced huge delays, running to years, in moving into their homes in Páirc Na Blathanna because of the failure by the Government to invest in energy infrastructure. They were forced to couch surf. They were overholding. They put their lives on hold. They simply could not make that move into homes that were built and ready for them to move into. They will ask what is in this legislation for them. How will this improve their lives? The simple fact is that because the Government has waived PLS, we are not going to have a chance to discuss it.

I hope the Minister of State will take on board not just the intention but the substance of the amendments tabled by my party colleague, Deputy Pa Daly. We also note that the energy regulator has told us that the substation at Castlebaggot, which was initially due to support new housing, has been handed over to data centres. We also note that the ESB has concerns about sustainability in north Dublin and the area I represent. That the Government has not allowed for proper discussion under PLS for this Bill means I have no answers for my constituents. They simply look at the Government's record with their heads in their hands.

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