Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Senator Quinn's own clock is set for twice per year to remind us of this valuable question, which we should address properly.

I support and second the comments made by my colleague, Senator Walsh, regarding the national broadcaster. After the Fr. Kevin Reynolds debacle, we thought that RTE had moved on because we were promised better standards of fairness and balance. However, the groupthink continues in regard to discussions on a range of social issues. Dealing with individuals in RTE is a perfectly charming experience. They are reasonable and they are pleasant. However, collectively there is a rot which involves contempt for ordinary people and, often, contempt for the issues and a tolerance for manipulating debate and the public mind by partial coverage of events. This is something we should debate at an early opportunity.

In regard to 1916, these events are complex but it is possible to commemorate great events which changed things without canonising one particular side and demonising the other. Through our debates about the roles of John Redmond and Padraig Pearse, and their visions of patriotism, we should be able to commemorate those events in a proper way.

I repeat my request for a debate on energy and the increase in the public service obligation, which will cause a big hike in electricity prices. Ahead of the summit on reducing our carbon emissions, the Taoiseach, with his usual clarity, stated today that it is not feasible to set targets that are unfeasible. He was referring to the reality that our cattle produce considerable amounts of methane and that we have to protect our agriculture sector. However, at a time when many of these targets may be revisited and regarded as unfeasible, I am concerned that Irish people will be left to foot the bill for an unimaginative and ineffective wind energy policy which was designed to meet those targets. At a time when subsidies for wind energy production have been withdrawn in other countries, we seem to have rushed towards rampant and unplanned production of wind energy in a way that is not cost effective, and which involves ordinary people subsidising the production of renewable wind energy to the tune of €94 million per year through their ESB bills and this public service obligation. I am in favour of renewable energy but we seem to have caught ordinary people out and they are bearing the brunt of the lack of planning and the failure of those in power in this country to adjust to a situation in which we need to produce more renewable energy. It now appears that the solution we have chosen, namely, a glut of wind farms and wind based energy, is not the solution. It may well be the case that our carbon reduction obligations will have to be revisited, and ordinary Irish people who cannot afford it are being left to foot the bill. I formally request a debate on energy, wind and the public service obligation based hike to our electricity charges.