The Deputy should conclude.

Sentiment score: 0.00

There will be many families and community groups in my constituency that will listen to this debate and wonder how quickly this Bill has come before us here in the Dáil and note how well supported it has been across all parties and groups. They will then look at the regulations for windfarms. There was a debate here in 2013 and the then Minister was asked for regulations, to level the playing field and to ensure that the voices of communities and individuals were heard. To this day, we do not have the regulations that are necessary to protect local communities and to set out the criteria for the development of these large-scale windfarms. There are problems with these issues in Kilkenny, Carlow and into Laois. Families were here with us in the audiovisual room setting out their positions. They told us some distressing stories and yet there is no regulation. I asked the then Taoiseach if he would consider a moratorium on the applications that were there so that the regulations could be introduced and applied to any development taking place. I also asked that the huge windfarms, the new technologies and new sized blades and towers could at least be discussed in this House. That did not happen. Deputy Stanley has a Bill on this issue. I ask the Minister of State to take it and use it on Second Stage to bring about a debate on this issue so that we can come to some conclusions on what needs to be done and plan for the future. We also need to reach out and help the individuals and communities that we represent. It is not just Carlow, Kilkenny and Laois; it is right across the country. If you drive along the road from Kilkenny to Durrow, you will find that the local communities have windmills behind them, and there are plans for windmills in front of them too. No consideration is being given to their difficulties. In fact, I would say the system is stacked against them because the big companies involved have no problem paying for submissions. However, communities have to pay for the submissions that have been forced upon them. It is dividing local communities and causing mayhem between neighbours. I ask the Minister of State to look at the different options that are there. Why not look at the nuclear option? Small nuclear plants are being built all over France and Germany. They are not at all the way they used to be. They are an option. We import electricity generated by nuclear plants while we hold the moral high ground and say, "Oh my God, I wouldn't have those in this country." We should stand up, take our responsibility seriously and bring about the change in policy that is necessary to deal with these issues. I draw the Minister of State's attention to the big energy companies and I will give an example. The energy companies are not treating their customers with respect. They are not showing any degree of compassion. People cannot get in touch with them unless they use the freephone line and queue forever. They could be cut off in the middle of their conversation. If they send an email of complaint, God knows what will happen to it. I followed up one of them today in my constituency office. The phone was cut off. I could not get through on the email and when I finally submitted a third-party authorisation, it was sent back to me because the man signed his name as "Ger" followed by his second name, when his name is "Gerard". They asked me to get the man to sign the full name, "Gerard". These are vulnerable customers who are appealing to big energy companies making huge profits to sort out a meter or help them to pay a bill, or they are asking why a single man in a house would generate electricity up to €3,000 of a bill. There is something wrong. They will not reach out to the customer, as any other company should and would, to help them resolve the issue and get paid. Accountability and reporting oversight are critical to this Bill and the money involved and I do not see enough in it to convince me there are conditions that must be met by the companies and that we are serious about value for money and oversight of taxpayers' money. I turn to the domestic and commercial cost to SMEs. Farmers who pay their bills, in particular dairy farmers, have come to me and said that, in the middle of milking, down goes the electricity. They have a power failure. When they report it to the energy company, they get absolutely zero traction to sort it out. Small businesses are closing because of the cost of electricity and nobody seems to be reaching out to stop companies charging them far too much for electricity. The number of domestic and commercial customers waiting to be connected is truly shocking. They are getting no respect or response from the big companies. I had an experience on the Hebron industrial estate with a commercial operator. It is impossible to get the answer so that a supply can be arranged and housing provided for those on waiting lists. There is so much to be done. I ask the Minister to please take note of what is being said by me and other speakers, and to act on it.

Sentiment score: 0.04