Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Commissioner is very welcome to Ireland. I thank him for taking the time to attend this meeting. I welcome Mr. Mamer and Ms Nolan also. The next time they come to Ireland I ask them to please visit the beautiful north west - Sligo and Leitrim, where the next stop is the Atlantic. It is a beautiful area.

I thank the Commissioner for his address. It is heartening that he has a vision of where Europe will go in the coming years. It is welcome that we are presented with the challenges we must face as part of the European vision.

I have two questions for the Commissioner. Would the EU and the Commissioner's office consider a greater investment in the development of sustainable energy in the member states? In terms of our targets that are set out, we may need more encouragement and finance for private-public investment in the member states to make that switch to renewable energy.

Can the Commissioner confirm that it will remain at the discretion of member states as to the type of energy they will be using into the future, whether it is oil, gas, renewables or whatever? The discretion in that regard will remain with the member states and nobody from Europe will dictate the form of energy generation that is to be used in the member states.