Solidarity/People Before Profit Bill will damage economic development and jobs in Cork  

A Bill sponsored by the extreme Solidarity/People Before Profit Group will damage economic development and jobs in the Cork region according to Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer.

“Cork has a strong and proud history of economic development and jobs based on offshore exploration and development of our natural resources.  Apart from Corrib all commercial natural gas discoveries since exploration began offshore Ireland in the early 1970s have been off the Cork coast. From the mid-1970s to the mid 1990s, bringing the Kinsale gas ashore provided a boost to the Cork economy and the impetus for the development of a gas network across Ireland.

“But now a Solidarity/ People Before Profit Bill which would end all offshore exploration, is putting an essential industry at risk and Cork will be the biggest loser if it passes.

“Ireland is transitioning to a low carbon economy but still requires supplies of fossil fuels while it does so.  Expert bodies like the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland are clear that for the next decade and more, gas will required to help transition Ireland into a low carbon economy by supporting the development of renewable energy like wind.  There are also a vast number of uses for oil in the world, for products like plastics, medicine, clothing, detergents and many more. And as an island there is no alternative to jet fuel for air transport.

“If the Solidarity Bill passes, Ireland will have to import all of our gas and oil needs when Corrib runs out in the mid-2020s.  We will be relying on imports from states like Russia, instead of having our own oil and gas. Importing our gas would just increase our carbon footprint and further damage the environment.

“The biggest region to lose out in all of this will be Cork.  Cork has been a successful base for offshore exploration companies and every well drilled off the south coast brings investment and jobs into the companies active around Cork Port and Airport who provide services, accommodation, and transport.

“This Bill represents the worst of gesture politics and amounts to economic treason. I am calling on all parties, especially Fianna Fáil and Labour to join Fine Gael in rejecting this Bill.  If they continue to support the Bill, they will damage the security of our energy supply and reject the economic potential, especially for the Cork region of a strong Irish gas and oil sector.”