John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State, a good Donegal man, is always welcome in the House. Like Senator Whelan, I have serious concerns about fracking. We must have clarity as to Government policy in this regard because the majority of people have huge concerns about the whole process. Senator Daly observed that once big business gets involved, everything becomes hidden and the voice of the people is no longer heeded. The Minister of State is aware of the situation in my county of Roscommon where the majority of people cannot consume the water coming out of their taps. I appreciate that a lot of good work is being done in the county in putting new treatment plants in place. My concern in regard to fracking is that the outcome is so uncertain. When that drill goes into the ground, there is no way to know what will happen. The fracking debate must be conducted with the seriousness it deserves.

I welcome all the geological surveys being done by the Department. Longford, Westmeath and my own county are currently being surveyed and the results will be released next year. I am concerned, however, about how much of an impact these surveys have on planning authorities, particularly An Bord Pleanála. Last year, for instance, we had a situation in County Roscommon where the local community in Dysart was opposed to a wind farm development. In fairness to the local authority, it came down on the side of the community and decided the project should not proceed. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government was also on the community's side in opposing this development. However, planning permission was granted on appeal by An Bord Pleanála, despite the surveys that had been done showing the number of aquifers all over the area which should not have been tampered with. People in that community had to go out and fund-raise in order to take a case to the High Court, a case which they won.

It is all about big business, as we can see from EirGrid's plans for developing Grid West.

EirGrid would lead a person to believe that pylons are good for one. This is more of the big business spin people must put up with, while at the same time the ESB is questioning the need for the Grid West and Grid Link projects at all. What work does the Geological Survey of Ireland, GSI, do on areas of possible subsidence? For instance, if the Grid West project is to go ahead, it will proceed in a straight line from west County Mayo all the way to Flagford, County Roscommon, near Carrick-on-Shannon. While the Minister of State may not have the expertise to hand in this regard, are surveys carried out on the ground over the project's entire length of 40 to 50 miles to assess the possibilities of future subsidence?

Finally, I will revert to wind energy. As Senator Daly noted, were one to pin-cushion the entire country with wind farms, it would not provide the amount of energy required. It is a folly and while all economists are making this point, we are not listening to them. Instead, the wind farm developers are being allowed to fire ahead and put wind farms all over this country. Again, has the possibility of subsidence been addressed, because it will happen at some time in the future? It is essential to start listening to the experts but this is not happening in respect of wind energy at present. The focus is completely on wind energy and no other types of green energy are being considered. All the money is being pumped into this sector but for what I do not know. This is a serious issue and various parts of the Minister of State's native county of Donegal are up in arms, in particular in Glenties and elsewhere, where people are attempting to fight against these developments going ahead. They have nobody on their side except for the economists who state they are a waste of money and are not viable.