Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

At the close of the Order of Business yesterday I gave an undertaking to the House that I would endeavour to deal with the matter Senator O'Sullivan had brought to the attention of the House regarding the Shannon LNG Terminal at Ballylongford, County Kerry. I have received a detailed response from the office of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, and the Senator is satisfied at this stage that this is as much as the Government and the Department can do. The project is at a very advanced stage and I am confident everything is proceeding with speed in order to have 500 to 1,000 jobs created at the site in Ballylongford. I can provide a copy of the correspondence for any Member who wishes to read it.

The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on the national spatial strategy update and outlook report 2010, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and conclude not later than 2.15 p.m., on which spokespersons may speak for 12 minutes and all other Senators for ten minutes and Senators may share time, by agreement of the House, with the Minister to be called upon to reply ten minutes before the conclusion of the debate for closing comments and to take questions from leaders or spokespersons.