Sir, – I have just finished reading the article by the German journalist Christian Zaschke first published in the Süddeutsche Zeitung and republished in the Weekend Review (July 6th). Catastrophic errors of judgment were made in the past. But the future is ours to remedy these. There are resources that surround our shores that can be used to fund the needs of the State.
As it stands we have everything to gain and not much left to lose. Let us follow Norway’s example. – Yours, etc,
MÁIRE O’ HAGAN,
Willow Park Avenue,
Dublin 11.
Sir, – Christian Zaschke incorrectly states a number of items regarding the offshore oil and gas report that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture conducted and published in May 2012, which I chaired. The committee was made up of TDs and Senators from Fine Gael, Labour, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Independents.
Firstly, he says the committee was appointed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte. This is incorrect. The committee was formed after the general election of 2011 and offshore oil and gas was the appropriate committee to produce a report on this policy field.
Mr Rabbitte had no hand or part to play in handpicking any Deputies and Senators to come together and produce this extensive report, supported by all political parties. Is the author suggesting Mr Rabbitte handpicked leading spokespersons from the opposition, namely TDs Éamon Ó Cuív, Martin Ferris, Michael Moynihan and Michael Colreavy?
Secondly, he incorrectly states the committee “came to the conclusion that it would be better to leave everything as it is”. Again, this is not the case. After numerous public hearings and sessions with relevant stakeholders, we recommended to the Minister to introduce a new fiscal licensing regime and greater public consultation on offshore oil and gas exploration.
The committee’s report explicitly stated that the overall tax take should, in the case of future licences, be amended from the existing policy to be increased, on a gradual scale over time to a minimum of 40 per cent, with a sliding scale up to 80 per cent for very large commercial discoveries.
The all-party report said a transparent system of public consultation should be fostered, including a statutory commitment that qualifying local communities be compensated financially through infrastructural and social development. It also said the Petroleum and Other Minerals Act 1960 should be reviewed to ensure a transparent fiscal licensing system, underpinned by clear law.
Furthermore, we recommended a forum be established, made up of third-level institutions, oil and gas companies, trade unions, government nominees and environmental and community representatives, and that ongoing contact be pursued with other countries, such as Norway and Portugal, to exchange ideas on best practice. – Yours, etc,
ANDREW DOYLE, TD
Leinster House,
Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
Sir, – Mr Zaschke writes: “The banks, above all Anglo Irish Bank, worked ceaselessly to pump fresh money into the already overheated property market”. He does not inform either his German or his Irish readers regarding the providers of this money that was ceaselessly and recklessly supplied to Anglo and the other Irish banks. — Yours, etc,
GERALD PALMER,
Viking Wharf,
Kinsale, Co Cork.
Sir, – Why are we so pathetically passive in the face of political corruption and incompetence? That is a question puzzling to many both inside and outside Ireland, and it’s about time we came up with some answers. – Yours, etc,
PAUL MAHER,
Annacarty,
Co Tipperary.