Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I welcome the Minister and this debate. The motion before the House is an appalling one and the amendment is not great either. When a motion welcomes something being done by the Government and an amendment welcomes something being done by Fine Gael, it is very hard for an Independent Member to find the middle ground. I wish to make it clear to the Minister that I want the Green Party to implement the low cost part of its agenda immediately. Senator Boyle has heard me say this many times. Those who are committed to the green agenda are wondering why there is a delay with the introduction of a foreshore Bill that will allow the proper operation of the connection. People across the road today told us why Shell could not bring its supplies ashore. I will not open that debate again. A guy who addressed the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security recently said huge work had been done on district geothermal heating in south-west Dublin. His company is ready to attract investment, but it cannot do so until legislation that will allow it to go down 2 km or 3 km - perhaps under other people's properties - with the certainty that it would reap the benefit of its investment has been passed.