Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Commissioner to Ireland and thank him for his direct and pragmatic approach. I take on board all the points he made, particularly the point that our energy infrastructure has not kept up with other advances in technologies.

What data exists on wind energy and its efficiency in terms of a cost-benefit analysis of setting up wind energy turbines as they feed into the grid? Is it a cost-effective energy source compared to the cost of setting up all the technologies? I have been interested in wind energy for a very long time. Its development is happening very slowly and costs huge amounts of money. What is the thinking in that area, specifically regarding wind energy?