There was unity among the parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly yesterday as members from both sides of the chamber denounced the lack of provision of a natural gas pipeline outside the greater Belfast area.
Mr Arthur Doherty (SDLP, East Derry) tabled the motion and said that he also wished to draw attention to the "apparent lack of will in certain circles to put right this inequitable situation".
"The exclusion of so much of Northern Ireland from the benefits of a natural gas supply raises serious questions of equity and if persisted in would cast doubts on the government's sincerity in its declared concern about targeting areas of social need," he added.
Mr Doherty said that the absence of gas provisions in a considerable section of Northern Ireland put these areas at a serious disadvantage in terms of the attraction of inward investment. They could not compete on equal terms with the "more favoured eastern concerns". He said the people living in the regions not served by natural gas were being forced to pay expensive fuel costs.
Mr James Leslie (UUP) said that in order to preserve manufacturing jobs there was a need to find a way to provide cheaper electricity to these regions. Mr William Hay (DUP, Foyle) said that the motion enjoyed cross-party and cross-community support. "That is a voice that the government cannot silence."
Mr Mitchel McLaughlin (Sinn Fein, Foyle) said the extension of the pipeline should be considered as a matter of urgency and be dealt with on an all-Ireland basis. "By the British government's own assertion future energy needs will be serviced on an all-Ireland basis. This being the case discussions should be initiated immediately with the Dublin authorities to bring a natural gas supply to the north-west region."
Mr Eugene McMenamin, (SDLP, West Tyrone) said that with proper representation within the Assembly, "we will make sure that West Tyrone and the north-west will get a fair share of the cake, I mean gas".
The Presiding Officer of the chamber, Lord Alderdice, was equipped yesterday with a translation service which provided him with an immediate translation when members speak in a language other than English.