Our Natural Resources.

I wrote earlier about my lack of knowledge of the management of our natural resources, and also my deep suspicions about the hysteria of the far left. Having said that, the more I read about it, particularly from sources whom I do not regard as being particulary loopy, the more I think that this is an issue that needs to be raised during the election campaign. In particular, it needs to be raised by people in the moderate centre who have non-ideological credibility.

Two pieces which caught my eye in particular are this one  by Fintan O’Toole, and this one by Colm Rapple, neither of whom I regard as wild-eyed loonies. They’re both worth reading. 

2 thoughts on “Our Natural Resources.

  1. Jason

    Kevin Myers has also very recently dealt with this quite accurately.
    See http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/kevin-myers-oil-conjures-up-every-lazy-stereotype-of-the-ruthless-multinational-plundering-our-assets-2487579.html

    BTW, the link for Colm Rapple is http://colmrapple.com/?p=127 and all his natural resource ramblings are at http://colmrapple.com/?cat=7 Rapple’s obsession with this area is due (at least in part) to his falling out in the 1980s with Tony O’Reilly, who had/has offshore Ireland interests through Atlantic Resources/Providence Resources. O’Reilly is probably no saint, but he, like most people who have been involved in exploring for oil in Ireland, has lost multiple millions without any return to date.

  2. Jason

    Fergus Cahill’s letter in today’ Irish Times tells you all you need to know.
    See “Tough decisions on oil and gas” at http://www.irishtimes.com/letters/
    Fintan O’Toole is very bright but he’s economically illiterate, while Colm Rapple has had a bias on this issue for decades. I doubt either could be described as having non-ideological credibility.

    MC

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