Sir, – John McManus (Business Opinion, March 26th) is wrong when he blames “local interests” for Ireland’s failure to ensure a “security of supply” for Ireland’s energy needs. This failure has little to do with the communities who find themselves at the receiving ends of projects that they don’t want. Instead the blame should be directed at the politicians and civil servants who have failed to look out for Ireland’s long-term interest and who continue to hand away Ireland’s natural resources for next to nothing.
Ireland’s current oil and gas terms do nothing to improve our “security of supply”. Full control of the oil and gas is handed over to the oil companies and can then only be bought back by the Irish consumer at full international rates. Before Providence Resources handed back the foreshore licence that it had for the Kish Bank Basin, near Dalkey, it stated that its plan was to load the oil into tankers at the rig and probably ship it directly to a refinery in Britain or the Netherlands. How does this add to Ireland’s security of supply?
The Memorandum of Understanding recently signed by Pat Rabbitte, which commits to selling electricity generated by wind turbines in the Midlands to Britain, underlines this refusal of our politicians to improve Ireland’s own security of supply.
Former Labour minister Justin Keating, who introduced the first substantial legislation for the development of Ireland’s oil and gas, stated shortly before his death in 2009, “If you have a windfall like oil and gas, and it comes before you are ready to use it prudently, you squander it . . . I am glad the oil and gas is still there. I am glad it is not gone.”
With new technology available to drill in deeper waters and increased oil prices, offshore Ireland is seen as ready for drilling. Proof of this is in the fact that this year, Exxon Mobil is due to drill the Dunquin prospect off the coast of Co Kerry, while Chrysaor are due to drill at Spanish Point off the coast of Co Clare, where oil and gas was initially found in 1981. Now is the time to start a proper conversation about how we want to use Ireland’s oil and gas. – Yours, etc,
EOIN O LEIDHIN,
Pollathomais,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.