Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The reason I asked that question is that I am a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and we have just completed a report on wave and wind energy. During the course of evidence gathering, we visited Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands where there are a number of research sites. A number of international companies are operating a variety of different technologies. I understand that this technology is at a very embryonic stage. The comparison put to us was that they were at the stage the Wright brothers were at in terms of aviation development. The technology in this respect is that far back. Two questions arose during that visit, one related to the siting of the research centre in Belmullet and it was pointed out that it was the wrong place because the waves were too high to give a proper assessment and it was suggested that Fenit in Kerry would be a much more acceptable site. I do not know whether that issue has come up in the course of discussions.

The other question that arose related to co-operation in this area between the UK and Ireland. We do not seem to be co-operating as much perhaps as we should be, at least that was a perception. The assembly is focusing very much on our experience at Kirkwall, where five international companies are involved. As Dr. Heffernan said, the Irish location is a no-brainer because we have the most sustainable and most potentially lucrative wave energy resource in the world. I am curious as to what relationship, if any, there is between the Marine Institute and those various bodies and particularly about the UK experience in this area.