Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)

It is said there are lies, damn lies and statistics, and people can quote all sorts of different figures. However, the reality is that when we came into Government the price of electricity was considerably higher than it is post-PSO levy. That is a reality and if Fine Gael wants to refute that point I would like to see its figures because the figures are quite clear that electricity prices are much closer to the European norm now than they were when the Green Party came into government. That is the reality.

Senator Dearey has also pointed out that energy regulation in terms of other electricity suppliers such as Bord Gáis and Airtricity allows for substantial reductions in electricity prices. I do not want to see electricity prices increasing. This is a good motion in some ways. It is raising a good debate. We are asking questions in regard to the various costs to business. One of the key cost to business is power, including electricity, gas and the various other types of power that are produced.

Ultimately, I do not want to see turf powered stations in the future. Turf is not a renewable energy resource. We have decimated the Bog of Allen, in particular. It is not environmentally friendly. I would like to see them replaced, but I would also like to see the jobs retained. I would like to see the replacements, on a gradual basis, of that energy source with wind energy in that region and swapping jobs. That is-----