Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before I launch into what I have to say, I understand planning permission would be required to remove the current Derrybrien wind generators. I will be objecting to that planning permission and taking this as far as I possibly can. I disagree with some of what the previous speaker said. We are talking about changing a law, not ignoring the law.

Today, we heard a detailed and valid argument from my colleagues Senators McDowell and Boyhan. Nothing in the proposed legislation runs counter to the programme for Government. In fact, it is entirely in keeping with the ideology in it. We have very ambitious targets, particularly in relation to wind energy, not to mention the commitment we made to data centres. It is a massive and unenviable task, especially in relation to offshore wind energy. We do not have enough ports to transport materials. The Government should be striving, which is a lovely word and one it should be very familiar with, to do everything it can to maximise our wind energy output.

There is an irrational view that underpins so much in Irish politics. The Opposition is never allowed to have a good idea. If we think about this for one second, it makes no logical sense because it flies in the face of the function of the Seanad. Why was this House set up? What is its raison d'être? This approach underpins much of our politics. What I am about to say is relevant to this debate. In The Irish Sunon Monday, in my head-to-head with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, which everyone should read, especially those in Government, I pointed out that all the criticism the Government is now getting for the referendums was avoidable, but because solutions were proposed by Opposition, these were ignored in favour of running the referendums on International Women's Day. This was the priority, and to hell with anything else.

We are seeing something similar here now. A perfectly good Bill is being rejected because it has been tradition not to enact anything coming from the Opposition. I would not be surprised if there were many Government Senators in this Chamber who know this is a good Bill. Indeed, Senator Kyne, when he spoke, showed some very positive signs regarding what should be done. If there is uncertainty about the legal aspects of this proposal, would it not make sense to test this in court or to at least run it by the Attorney General and the Department of Justice, and then amend aspects about which there may be uncertainty? One of the main reasons I am convinced the opposition to this proposal is based on nothing other than the fact that it is an Opposition initiative is that I do not see how tearing down this wind farm makes any sense at all. I encourage the Minister of State to go and look at the site, if he has not done so already, because it has been put together incredibly well.

The Government's determination not to accept the Opposition proposal means it is prepared to flush some €200 million down the toilet. Is the Government so determined not to accept this Bill that it is prepared to risk blackouts? When people ask who is responsible, they will look at the Government. Does the Government seriously want its legacy, when the country already has so many problems, to be that it runs parliamentary matters in this way? The Minister of State has a chance to avoid that possibility today. I ask him to deviate from the irrationality that has plagued so much of our politics and, at the very least, to consider this legislation.

This Bill should be allowed to proceed to Second Stage. We can ten iron out any difficulties on Committee Stage. I cannot believe we are going to send large machinery into Derrybrien to tear down what is a perfectly serviceable wind energy generating station. It is absolutely absurd. Mention was made of the mudslide and turf slide on the site previously. Having walked the site with my colleagues, I can promise that if heavy machinery is brought onto that site, there will be mudslides the like of which we have never seen before. To do that would be nonsensical. It is no wonder that people turn against Europe when they see things like this going on. We need to stand up as a proud, sovereign state and declare we are capable of managing our own issues. The Government should to back to the courts, if that is what it takes, and establish what a wind farm is. We need to get this site generating electricity. If the Minister of State were to go down to that part of the world, he would see that this is feeding finance into the local economy. We are talking about retaining our pride. No one is denying that mistakes were made. We need to learn from those mistakes and repair them.

I agree with the previous speaker on the issue of data centres. This is going to be a problem as we go forward. As with many other things in this country, we tend to take a very narrow and to hell with the consequences. If the Government is determined to tear down this site, we will start with planning permission and I will object to it being given. I sincerely hope the whole of east Galway will join me in objecting. It makes absolutely no sense.