Feargal Quinn (Independent)

When we travel abroad and go into an hotel we always find a candle beside the bed because they are so used to running out of electricity. We have not appreciated that for many years we have been used to the fact that every time we turn a switch the light comes on. Senators O'Toole and Hannigan have drawn our attention to the fact that we are in serious danger of running short of energy in the next few years. It is important we debate this. We should not just debate the issue of nuclear energy, which I want. I have looked for a debate on nuclear energy. I am not saying it is the answer but, as Senator Hannigan said today, the British are planning to build more nuclear sites and the Chinese announced last week that they will build five nuclear sites because of their dependence on fossil fuel, which they want to change.

It is for that reason we should have the debate Senator O'Toole is looking for and have a debate on oil and Shell's efforts to bring gas to the people of Ireland, which is being restricted and restrained in a manner which I do not understand by what is apparently a small body of people. It is worthy of debate, and we should have it and include a debate on the environment as well.

Today, 23 April, is an interesting day as it is the day Brent geese leave in very large numbers for their home north of Canada. It is a very long flight. They leave on 23 April every year and come back on 23 October. If anybody wants to see them, they can go out and say goodbye to them in north county Dublin. It is part of the reason we should be debating the environment, not just for the reason Senator Norris spoke about.

I was shocked to discover the poor quality of water in Ireland, as published in the Environmental Protection Agency's report. We only learned this today. In France, every time one receives a water bill it is stated on it the most recent survey on the quality of the water. There is no reason why we could not have such information published every month in Ireland. We should not have to wait for the EPA to state what the water quality now is, how bad it is and the e.coli contamination. If we had a system such as that in France we could publish the information every month in the local newspaper and we would know exactly the quality of our water.

I would like a debate on energy which would include the north Mayo gas situation, nuclear energy, and the environment. The Green Party in Britain has changed its attitude to nuclear energy and has said it wishes to include nuclear energy as one method which is acceptable, whereas it opposed it in the past.