Larry Butler (Independent)

I thank all Members who attended yesterday's presentation by Spirit of Ireland which provided an update on its energy supply capacity and how it could help make the country self-sufficient in energy. The number of industries that would spin-off from energy self-sufficiency would be enormous. All parties in the Houses are in agreement on this. Every Member who spoke yesterday after the presentation fully supported the move towards energy self-sufficiency. This could be one of the largest projects undertaken in this country and is needed now. I agree with the call by Senators Ó Murchú and Keaveney for a debate on this matter. Self-sufficiency should be to the forefront of this Government's and future Governments' energy policies. We all need to put on the green jersey and do this job for this country. If we can become energy self-sufficient, in ten years €60 billion in fuel imports would be saved, an impressive figure. We could do an awful lot in health and education with that money as well as the revenue earned from exporting energy.

I would like the provision of double-glazed windows and electrical rewiring for older houses to be added to the insulation and retrofit grant scheme in the budget. In many older houses, there have been fires due to the state of the wiring. Such a move would create an extra 6,000 jobs in that particular industry.