Vol. 423 No. 4
18 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Energy the action, if any, he has taken, particularly in the light of the worsening economic situation, to implement the recommendations of the Culliton Report in so far as they refer to the reduction of the costs of energy for industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government has taken on board the broad thrust of the Culliton recommendations and established a task force to advise on the implementation of those recommendations and any further measures considered as appropriate by the task force. In effect, the role of the task force is to develop with the Government Departments involved an action plan for the different policy areas. A first report of the task force has been approved by the Government but does not include energy policy.
Recommendations for an action plan in areas within my area of responsibility are included in a second report of the task force which is expected to be considered by the Government shortly. It is not possible, therefore, at this stage, to supply the information requested by the Deputy.
The Minister did not say why all the recommendations of the Culliton Report have not been implemented, beyond saying that a plan has not yet been prepared. Will he agree that the terms of the Culliton Report threaten the continuation of the strong relationship which existed between the ESB and Bord na Móna and indeed the Whitegate Refinery? If the terms of section 5.2 of the Culliton Report are implemented there will be a serious threat to jobs. If we ignore the social implication in this section there will be a repetition of what happened in Lullymore where 100 jobs have been lost to date.
As I said, the recommendation in the report are being examined and the task force set up by the Government recently looked at the second report which covers the energy areas covered by Culliton. These are still under discussion and, therefore, I do not feel free to elaborate on what steps might be taken. The matters raised by the Deputy were dealt with in the Culliton Report and they referred to the diseconomy arising from the mandatory regime operating at Whitegate and they raised the issue of the ESB subsidy to Bord na Móna for the supply of peat. These matters have been of concern to the Department — and to various Ministers who have held office — for some time and one should not jump to conclusions in regard to what steps will be taken. The Government is fully conscious of its social obligations in regard to certain matters and I have confirmed, on a number of occasions, its commitment to the future use of peat in energy and in fuel mix. It would be improper to raise unnecessary concerns at present.
While the Minister mentioned that consideration would be given to Bord na Móna, there is no reference to what might happen in Whitegate. Again, in section 5.2 of the Culliton Report, it is proposed that the ESB could import cheaper fuel, which undermines the whole thrust of Culliton; it is a contradiction because something which was set up to create jobs is now suggesting a means whereby jobs could be lost. If there is not investment in Whitegate it is quite likely that they will not be able to keep abreast of developments in the petroleum industry. This should be borne in mind when consideration is being given to this matter. I also find it very strange——
Let us not forget the time factor when dealing with these questions. We have only 15 minutes in which to deal with them.
I am very conscious of the time factor. It is strange that one Government Department has not dealt with the section of the Culliton Report which applies to them. Other Departments have produced reports but the Minister's Department have not done so. It is not good enough for the Minister to say that they have not yet looked at the Culliton Report. I would have thought that somebody would have been detailed to examine it and to come up with an answer.
That should be adequate questioning.
I am merely informing the Deputy of the factual position in regard to the task force set up by the Government. I certainly did not intend to give the impression that my Department have not looked carefully at the Culliton recommendations in regard to energy. The areas which they identified have all been highlighted before now and the difficulties mentioned in the report are not new. I have been occupied for quite some time trying to find a way in which to address these matters. It gives a wrong impression to mention one part of the Culliton Report in regard to Whitegate and not to mention the other because the report refers to the need to give consideration to upgrading the Whitegate Oil Refinery. I have indicated on numerous occasions in the House that we are attempting to do that and a subsequent question will refer to that very matter. It is wrong to seek to create unnecessary fears in this area.
