Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I support Senator O'Toole in what he said regarding my comments yesterday on the overrun of costs of projects in education. I welcome the fact that five projects have come off that long list. However, I am concerned that because it was a pilot scheme, the new Minister is bound to review this particular public private partnership scheme, which will inevitably cause delay for many projects already on stream. I wish the Minister Deputy Hanafin success in her new portfolio.

I ask the Leader to request the new Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to come to the House as quickly as possible in view of the escalating costs of energy across the board, particularly electricity. The ESB has a virtual monopoly and it is blatantly preventing others from producing alternative energy from renewable sources by not allowing them access to the national grid. The Minister should intervene quickly to free up the production area.

Many individuals and community groups have spent considerable resources in providing plans for the production of electricity from alternative sources but the ESB is not allowing access. The ESB receives subsidies which are not available to other potential producers. The ESB claims other producers are too expensive while blatantly ignoring that it is subsidised. The new Minister should revisit this matter and open up the whole area of energy production and its cost.