Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Seanad Éireann" and substitute the following:

--noting that Ireland is a strong position to develop our renewable energy sector;

--noting that in Government, Fianna Fáil prioritised investment in the green energy grid and implemented measures to improve energy efficiency across the economy;

--noting that in government Fine Gael has failed to invest the promised €2 billion in the energy grid as part of the newERA project;

--noting that the pre-election promise to have the North-South interconnector underground is set to be broken;

--condemns the Government for failing to comply with rules designed to increase competition in the natural gas market resulting in the European Commission taking Ireland to the European Court of Justice;

--calls on the Government to reverse its cuts to the better energy homes scheme which costs jobs and led to a reversal of Fianna Fáil's strategy of reducing home heating costs and increasing households' energy efficiency;

--condemns the Government for failing to take action to tackle fuel poverty which is affecting an increasing number of families as incomes drop and fuel prices continue to rise; and

--rejects the privatisation in part or whole of the energy transmission network as it is strategically important infrastructure and would lead to profit considerations taking precedence over public welfare.

May I share time with Senator Thomas Byrne?