Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will concentrate on offshore wind. We were all shocked when we discovered that none of our ports were, for want of a better term, fit for purpose. Mention was made of the plan for offshore renewable energy, ORE, and getting us where we need to be with that. We, and many others, have interacted with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan. Ultimately, what is always mentioned is that ports are private entities, etc. We do know, though, that there has been a loosening in state aid rules. Equally we have adhered to these state aid rules more here than, possibly, the French and the Germans have done.

Arguments can be made, then, regarding pushing this. I would like to get a general timeline from the witnesses regarding the plans and the possible hold-ups. Even in general terms, I would like to know what we are talking about concerning the money it may not be possible to get from private sources. On some level, this must be a major project for the State. Everybody, including the Government and the Opposition, talk about future possibilities and that we could be an offshore wind and renewable energy superpower to such an extent that we could change the dynamics of the energy market across Europe and globally. This is not going to happen if we cannot get out of port. How soon and to what extent can progress be made in this context and what has the interaction been with the State? The answers we have received from the Minister and others have not been exactly stellar in putting our minds at ease.