Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegation for attending. It is important that we continue to discuss all energy options regarding the country's future needs. We should not dismiss any source of energy, including nuclear energy. It is important that any modern economy or society debate the issues publicly and consider all options. Unfortunately for the nuclear sector, there is significant negativity surrounding it. Its positive aspects are its competitiveness, the use of clean technology and its capacity. However, the public's perception is that there is significant negativity surrounding safety issues owing to what has happened in the past, including explosions in places such as Fukushima and Chernobyl. These disasters are in the minds of members of the public in Ireland and globally and we must acknowledge that they form a huge barrier for the sector to overcome. Deputy Moynihan has mentioned that the appetite of the people for nuclear energy is questionable at this time, but that does not mean we should not debate the issue. For this reason it is important that BENE put its proposals before us in order that we can debate them and inform ourselves. That is welcome. We should not dismiss proposals out of hand because technology has moved on. The climate change debate will provide huge challenges for this country and the rest of the world.

There is an ongoing debate in Ireland on the issue of renewable energy, with objections being raised to wind farm proposals and so on. Some people who are totally opposed to the use of nuclear energy are also opposed to wind farms. I see this as the great dilemma for Irish society. We need to ask ourselves from where will we get the energy we need to sustain us into the future. Some suggest we will become a net exporter of renewable energy supplies, but I do not see how that will happen if we continue to have so many objections. It seems nobody wants to have anything in his or her area. We can expect a significant energy demand in the future, but where will we source that energy?

Given that interconnectors have already been developed between the North of Ireland and Scotland and the east of Ireland and Wales and it is proposed to develop an interconnector between the south of Ireland and France, we are probably already importing nuclear generated energy supplies. Will the delegates clarify whether that is the case? Are people happy to do this? Obviously, they are if we are already doing so.

Is there a need for another nuclear power station, given that there be such significant interconnectivity? This is a small island and if we are properly interconnected - we are isolated currently - would the easier option not be to import the energy supplies needed in the future?

I do not know enough about Moneypoint. The group states it will reach end of life in 2025. I am not sure what proposals exist in that regard. The group states that a conversion to nuclear energy would be an option. I am from Waterford and I am aware that in Great Island, in Wexford in the south east, they are already quite advanced in a project to convert from oil to gas and increase the capacity of generation, from 240 MW to 460 MW. Would something similar at Moneypoint be a solution rather than taking the nuclear option? Those are merely some points of debate and questions.