Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Ní glacfaidh mé ach seal beag ama chun an méid atá le rá agam ar an gceist seo — an clár fuinnimh agus teasdíonta atá fógraithe ag an Rialtas — a rá. Sa chéad dul síos, caithfidh mé a rá go gcuirim fáilte roimh an rúin atá curtha síos ag páirtithe an Rialtais. Ní féidir liom tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhórchuid an rúin, áfach. Rachfaidh mé isteach sna nithe sin níos moille. Ba mhaith liom níos mó a rá faoi chúrsaí fuinnimh, go mórmhór faoi chostais fhuinnimh. Tá áthas orm an deis seo a ghlacadh chun na hábhair sin a phlé.

I support the sentiments expressed in the motion and clearly welcome any move to increase energy efficiency, reduce costs and get people back to work, which this will do. I welcome the introduction of this scheme for which my party has called for a long time. It is a pity it has taken so long to introduce it and that it is not up and running at this stage. However, the introduction of this scheme is a sign of hope. Whenever things are done right and programmes are being developed, however belatedly, one must offer congratulations to those responsible. As stated, there is never a wrong time to do what is right. The insulation programme is the way forward. It is what the country needs at this point. While it will have only limited effect, it must be acknowledged.

I would like to touch on many of the other issues related to energy that need to be addressed. Despite Bord Gáis's indication today that its gas prices will fall by 25% over the year, fuel poverty will remain a major problem. The Institute of Public Health study in 2007 stated that fuel poverty in this country was at an unacceptably high level by international standards. This was prior to the more recent steep increases in gas and electricity charges. Families on marginal incomes and elderly people in particular are most affected, often to the extent of having to get into further debt to heat their homes.

It was estimated that in the region of 2,800 people per annum on the island of Ireland die as a result of deficiencies in households in terms of their being able to meet their energy needs, which is shameful. The most alarming aspect of the studies on fuel poverty is that the rates of fuel poverty increased even during the years of highest economic growth and that the level of household income below which families were finding it difficult to meet their energy needs was rising steeply, an indication that energy prices and the relative proportion of household income required to meet their needs was rising at a faster rate than most other essentials.

I have reservations about Bord Gáis committing itself to lowering electricity prices by 10% in competition with the ESB. Surely, given we are dealing with two State agencies, it would make more sense that the energy regulator allow the ESB to lower its prices to consumers to similarly reflect the global price trends expected to be reflected in falling gas charges. There is also concern that in seeking to expand its share of the electricity market, Bord Gáis is boasting its attractiveness to potential private investors in the event of it being privatised, something I do not believe would be in the interests of this country or Irish consumers. Donegal, which is the region I represent and most of the west of Ireland does not have access to the gas network. It is hoped that the Government will introduce initiatives, such as those outlined in my report, Awakening the West, to subsidise these regions so that gas can be provided to them.

While the national insulation programme will address some of the problems associated with energy conservation and costs and will provide jobs, it must be said this Government is failing to tackle fuel poverty and to make the necessary investment in renewable energy to ensure its targets are met. Senator O'Malley asked why the Opposition will not support the motion. I support the scheme and the sentiments expressed in the motion. However, to support it would be like congratulating an arsonist who, having set a building alight, threw a bucket of water over it as it burned to the ground.

Why in the first instance must we introduce an insulation scheme? We must do so because successive Governments have allowed the developers in this country to build houses on the cheap, without insulation and using breeze blocks. It is not that long ago since this happened. I am a civil engineer and have worked on sites in Dublin. Houses have been built with breeze blocks that cannot be insulated. This happened because regulations were not tight enough.

The Government's cosy relationship with the developers allowed them to build houses on the cheap, sell them for massive prices and leave people with the difficulties now being experienced in terms of mortgages. The State must now provide money to fix the problem which the Government and developers created. I cannot support a motion which congratulates the Government on getting its act together. I welcome that it has got its act together but congratulating it on addressing a problem which it caused in the first instance is a step too far. For this reason, I will be opposing the motion.