Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the announcement about the appointment of Ms Bridget Doody as Clerk-Assistant of Seanad Éireann. As a member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, I was glad to be associated with that appointment. Bridget has a long history of service in the Civil Service and in these Houses in particular. She is a close neighbour of mine in north Kerry. I know her family very well and her brother Patrick is a particular friend of mine. I am sure Bridget will be very happy and successful in her position.

The Cathaoirleach and Leader will recall that I have mentioned the importance of the project on the Shannon Estuary for liquefied natural gas, LNG, on numerous occasions. I raised it quite recently and, at the Leader's request, I submitted a Commencement motion on it. I received a welcome reply from the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten. The LNG project will provide a significant guarantee for energy security in the country once it gets the go-ahead, and will be a huge boost for the entire mid-west region, particularly counties Kerry and Limerick. I welcome the announcement in yesterday's paper, The Independent, that the Minister, Deputy Naughten, has selected two particular projects to support to secure our energy needs in the post-Brexit scenario. One of those is the LNG project. This is most welcome news, particularly since the Minister has indicated that he hopes to tap into the strategic investment fund to boost these projects. It shows that we in the Seanad can be instrumental in highlighting important issues in a non-partisan and non-political way. This has been brought up as a political football for many years. It is only since it has been raised here in the Seanad that it has been given a cool and reasonable appraisal. I compliment the Minister and Government for taking on board the suggestions raised in this House. Hopefully this long-expected project will finally come to fruition.