John Whelan (Labour)

I welcome the Minister to the House. We all know the expanse and extent of his remit and brief. The important decisions and policy matters that must be addressed in his Department will have profound implications for the country for decades to come. There is very little scope, if any, for error. Earlier, reference was made to someone going bald headed. I suppose I would qualify under this category, and I wish to use this opportunity to go bald headed for what I believe is the condescending, cavalier and confrontational style of EirGrid, which will lead to more trouble throughout the country and make the Teresa Treacy case in Tullamore look like a teddy bear's picnic. One would have to be heartless not to be dismayed and disturbed by the sight of a well-meaning 65-year-old woman ending up in Mountjoy because of power lines and pylons cutting through her farm. Teresa Treacy need not have ended up in prison if EirGrid had done its job properly.

EirGrid is based in Ballsbridge. Does it understand the land and rural values and respect country people? In my experience, it is not upfront, co-operative or transparent in its dealings with landowners or considerate when it engages in what it regards as consultation. It is not meaningful consultation in my opinion, and I have first-hand experience of it. The plight of Teresa Treacy in Tullamore does not surprise me and there will be many more Teresa Treacys if EirGrid does not cop on and radically change its tactics, which at present represent and reflect a rather heavy-handed corporate culture not one of consideration and genuine and honest engagement with communities. Its stand today seems to be that it has the power and to hell with everyone else, which is unfortunate because we all know that at this time more than ever we need reliable and sustainable infrastructure to build our economic recovery.

I see this in my community in Ratheniska and Timahoe where another proposed 25 km line, the Laois to Kilkenny reinforcement line which is vital for the south-east Kilkenny and Waterford region, will go through the property of 110 landowners. Sound and sensible farmers and families are now up in arms with EirGrid. Tensions are mounting and opposition is gathering as a direct result of EirGrid's tactics and its arrogance, ignorance and what I can only describe as bully boy tactics. It behaves more like the KGB than the ESB at times. Only last week, EirGrid threatened with a solicitor's letter and legal action a local farmer, a gentleman who would not say boo to anyone. EirGrid alleged he was recording a conversation taking place in his farmyard. All he had in his hand was an old Nokia phone. This is the type of absurd and unfounded accusation that gives rise to local suspicions and leaves EirGrid the laughing stock of the community. This type of carry on serves only to get people's backs up and fuel community dissent and divisions.

If EirGrid does not change tack it will open the floodgates for protests which will impede the roll-out of critical infrastructure and see Ireland shunned for vital foreign direct investment as important projects are needlessly and unnecessarily held up. All reasonable people I know in the area accept we need a secure and safe supply of electricity and solid infrastructure as a basis for economic growth and recovery. However, EirGrid is going about this entirely the wrong way. It must be called to order before it has another half a dozen Teresa Treacys on its hands.

I have no doubt as to the sincerity and bona fides of Teresa Treacy, and her family, friends and neighbours. Unfortunately, the same cannot necessarily be said about some of those who have now got involved in her campaign. Sinister elements have jumped on the bandwagon and are deliberately misrepresenting the Teresa Treacy case for their own political advantage and ulterior motives. In many ways, these people are even worse than EirGrid in their cynical manipulation of the issue and of this woman for their own selfish ends. These ready to go protesters are blackguarding Teresa Treacy and damaging the cause of reasonable objections and legitimate concerns where they arise. Some of these protesters appear to draw their authority from Marx, that is Groucho Marx, who famously coined the phrase, " whatever it is, I am against it". This seems to be the manner in which they are proceeding.

It takes more than wearing an open neck shirt in the Dáil or a woolly hat in the woods to make one a real friend of the earth or a genuine environmentalist. Therefore, it is only fair that I also put on the record that it has been suggested the forest in Tullamore is of significant historical and archaeological value. However, the trees in question are a commercial crop, predominantly evergreens, planted with the assistance of grants for the purpose of being felled and harvested. This is not Glen of the Downs or Watership Down. There is no Bambi in the woods, and a sensitive habitat is not at stake as has been contrived by certain reckless elements whose actions serve only to keep Teresa Treacy in jail rather than sincerely seeking solutions which would see her released from this terribly stressful ordeal.

Will the Minister take this opportunity to allay concerns regarding the future of two significant semi-State companies, namely, Bord na Móna and Coillte? There has been widespread speculation in the media and elsewhere that some senior political figures have been in negotiations with and aiding and abetting foreign investors to buy out Coillte, for instance. This would be a very retrograde step and very shortsighted. Bord na Móna and Coillte are two strategically significant companies managing some of our most important natural resources. Between them they manage in the region of 1.2 million acres or close to 10% of the country's land mass. In the interests of best development of our natural resources, tourism, leisure, sporting activities and, most important, the critical issue of public access, it is vital that these companies remain in public control, whatever the other proposals for their development or merger.