David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move:

"That Seanad Éireann – - rejects the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with the British Government to export energy from renewable sources from Ireland;
- acknowledges renewable energy sources are valuable natural resources that belong to the people of Ireland, and that the Government has a duty to ensure that any benefit accruing from them must benefit the people of the State;
- acknowledges that the Twenty-Six Counties has agreed binding targets of at least 16% of all energy consumed in the State to be from renewable energy sources by the year 2020 under Directive 2009/28/EC;
- accepts that exporting sustainable energy and importing fossil fuel before these targets are met is counterproductive in that it acts as a barrier to meeting Directive 2009/28/EC;
- believes that a target for self-sufficiency from renewable sources should be set in line with realistic projections for growth in the generation of energy from onshore and offshore wind, wave and tidal power, and other renewables such as hydro and geothermal;
- accepts that greater emphasis should be placed on developing renewable sources other than wind, and that the potential in energy generated from the sea is recognised;
- recognises that the rising cost of fuel bills disproportionately impacts marginalised groups such as the elderly, disabled and low income families, and acknowledges the role domestic energy production could play in the reduction of energy costs;
- understands that there is a groundswell of public opposition to the erection of electricity pylons as reflected by the 35,000 submissions to EirGrid and that a fair and transparent consultation process has not taken place;
- accepts that early involvement of the public in projects and the provision of accurate and up to-date information and transparency is essential; that participation with the purpose of informing and gaining support from the public toward a project is a central pillar of good governance; and that communities have a democratic right to influence decision making;
- agrees that strict and comprehensive planning regulations must be applied to the erection of wind turbines and electricity pylons in Ireland;
- recommends the Government observe the precautionary approach in keeping with World Health Organization 2007 guidelines when constructing new electricity supply installations and in relation to high voltage lines;
- recommends the Government adopt a precautionary approach in the construction of new alternating-current power lines; that new power lines should not be built close to residential areas or day-care institutions; and that the distance required should be determined on the basis of a specific assessment of the individual project and the fields to which the inhabitants will be exposed;
- acknowledges that the Irish landscape is unique in its natural beauty and a significant national resource in aesthetic, environmental, and economic terms and that the construction of any major infrastructural project must take these factors into account;
- calls for a cost-benefit analysis of undergrounding electricity pylons to be undertaken;
- calls for the undergrounding of electricity pylons where possible;
- calls for a moratorium on the erection of electricity pylons and wind turbines until a comprehensive All-Ireland policy is in place; and
- calls for the creation and implementation of an All-Ireland Energy Policy that clearly states how our renewable energy targets will be reached; what infrastructure is needed for the development of renewable energy sources; how renewable sources can be developed on an All-Ireland basis and how renewable sources can best serve the energy needs of Irish people".