The Government parties have accused Fine Gael of attaching itself to backward and damaging energy policies. But the main Opposition party hit back saying Fianna Fáil and the PDs were responsible for problems in the country's energy policy.
The row erupted after Fine Gael joined the Independents and Labour in the Dáil yesterday in a vote on the future of oil and gas exploration. A motion from the Independents called for the State to take a 50 per cent stake in any oil or gas discoveries and to raise the tax on any finds.
Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey said last night that the signal from Fine Gael was that it supported policies it had described as madcap.
Fine Gael's energy spokesman, Bernard Durkan, who had described the motion from the Independents as "crazy" during the Dáil debate, said his party had voted against a Government amendment and not for the motion itself. He said: "The image of this country that has gone abroad is that there is a distinct lack of professionalism about the way we are dealing with our energy resources. We are totally in favour of businesslike management of all our resources and that is why we did not vote for the Government's rushed amendment."
Fiona O'Malley, PD spokeswoman on energy, accused Fine Gael of tying itself to backward policies put forward by the Independents. If the State took control of exploring indigenous energy sources as advocated by the Independents it would cost taxpayers billions of euro, she said.
"The private sector has the resources, expertise and practical experience essential for investment in such financially risky operations. The Government's primary duty is to be responsible with public money," she said.
"The suggestion that we shouldn't give companies tax breaks to come in and explore our reserves is ridiculous and reminds me of Ireland's depressing 1930s protectionist past. Why is Fine Gael siding with those peddling failed, statist economic policies?" she asked.
Ms O'Malley said the rhetoric of Opposition members during the "ill-thought-out" Dáil motion from the technical group could have come straight from a university Marxists society flyer.
"This is a great example of the choice that is facing the electorate next time out. Government policy has to relate to the real world and the alternative on offer is pitifully removed from that reality. Who would have thought Fine Gael would have allied themselves to such a motley crew? It's now next to impossible to know what that party stands for," she said.
The long motion tabled by the Independents was countered by an equally long amendment from the Government. After a debate over two days which ended at lunchtime yesterday the Government amendment was passed by 61 votes to 55 with Fine Gael, Labour, the Greens and Sinn Féin joining the Independents to vote against the Government. The original motion then fell.
