Results 8,081-8,100 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: They will not.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: We do not want high prices.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Government raided the ESB.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It grabbed €70 million.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: If the Minister of State has a spare hour, I will tell him about our ideas.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: If the Government keeps coping the way it is at present, there will be trouble.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I thank all the Members who contributed to this debate. I tabled this motion to try to get answers to two vital questions. Was the Government awake to what was happening on the international markets?

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: Was the Government prepared to pass on the benefits of what was happening on the international markets to consumers?

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: That is the interesting part of it. All the evidence suggests that the Government is impervious to the needs of consumers, including householders, factory owners and shopkeepers. Every house, factory and office in this country is affected by energy prices in one way or another. Employment is affected by energy prices. Even though many jobs have been lost from this country to more...

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It can do nothing about it. It does not want to do anything about it because it suits the Government to have high energy prices.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: I will give the House an idea of how the Government gains. In the last couple of years, the Government has claimed to be very concerned about everybody.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It says it is people-friendly and concerned about the poor. It claims to be concerned about investment in industry, but I will tell the House what it has done to the ESB. In 2002, it took €39.7 million from the ESB and stuck it in its pocket. It hammered the ESB with that particular burden.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Government put the dividend into its pockets so that it would have more money to spend on goodies in the election of that year.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: In 2003, the same Government went back to the ESB, claiming to be concerned about energy costs. On that occasion, it took €67 million and stuck it in its pocket again.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: In 2004, it came back and took a further €77 million from the ESB. Its Deputies have the neck to come to this House and start prancing around and talking about its energy policy. The Government does not have an energy policy.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It is totally bereft of policy in that area.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The only thing that Government Deputies are doing is reading glossy magazines which tell them that energy prices will be at a certain level in 100 years' time. They will not be here then. Indeed, they will not be in government for much longer, fortunately. If the Government stays in office much longer and continues to act as it is at present, many consumers——

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: The Minister of State might be there, but many consumers will have to leave.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: In 2005, the Government returned to the ESB once more, despite all the chat we have heard about energy policies. The Government is part and parcel of the process that creates high energy prices.

Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)

Bernard Durkan: It took €72 million from the ESB in 2005. In the last four years, it has taken €260 million from the ESB and stuck it in its pocket. It will spend that money in the budget to buy votes from the electorate.