Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Leyden in regard to RTÉ and the paintings which, by the way, would look very well on the wall of the Seanad, given the fact this used to be an art gallery during the Fitzgeralds' reign. The State needs to intervene to keep those paintings in State ownership.

My main concern, which I spoke about briefly yesterday, concerns the just transition. An area of the country which was stated clearly by the Minister in his speech as one that will benefit, rightly so, from the just transition fund is the midlands. However, another place that is going to be significantly impacted with the recalibration in regard to our climate and the non-burning of coal is Moneypoint. I ask the Leader to bring in the Minister, Deputy Bruton, so he can put his assurances on the record of the House that Moneypoint will also benefit from the just transition fund.

The ESB also has questions to answer. Has it set up a just transition team? Is it working in collaboration with the Government and the Minister in terms of its responsibilities with regard to just transition and the electorate and people of west Clare, whose jobs are very much under threat. There are also the indirect effects which businesses will suffer as a result of the recalibration of Moneypoint.

I was shocked to hear on radio this morning that criminal gangs are supposed to have received money from builders in order to provide protection to building workers so council houses can be built, and that this somehow received the blessing of Dublin City Council. The chief executive officer of Dublin City Council needs to make a statement today denying that this has happened. If he does not, we have to assume it did happen. If it did, what is he doing about it? Has the person or persons who are supposed to have given the blessing and the nod and a wink to go ahead with this been suspended pending an investigation? We need to know urgently because that type of behaviour is absolutely deplorable.