Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses today. As a person from the Border region, it occurs to me that the one sphere in which we have a united Ireland is in the energy market. All of us who aspire to a united Ireland, and that includes virtually all of us, should be looking at a united Ireland in the context of people and services rather than something more abstract and romantic. It has to be at that level, and energy is one of the great successes. This is a very significant discussion for that reason alone.

Would the witnesses agree that we will be assisted in the Brexit negotiations and arrangements? We are not negotiating specifically on energy, but do the witnesses think that we will be aided by the fact that Northern Ireland stands to have an energy deficit shortly if we do not implement the interconnector and the all-Ireland policy? Northern Ireland stands to be the big loser, so should that be a huge advantage to us? It is not a question of the Republic being at risk for supply, but rather Northern Ireland being at risk. Should that not make for a unity of hearts and minds across the two sets of negotiators, from both Mr. Barnier's position and his UK equivalent? Both negotiators should be on the same page in that respect in that neither of them would wish Northern Ireland to have an energy deficit. Perhaps the witnesses could respond to that point.

It is great news that we are working on a connection to France through Brittany and on the Irish-French connection. Is that another incentive for the UK to be co-operative in this sphere?

Everyone around this table, including the witnesses, hope for no tariffs in any sphere and would love something akin to free trade post-Brexit, and indeed a special arrangement on the island. That is our aspiration, but assuming there are tariffs and customs duties in other areas, can the witnesses foresee a scenario where energy would be exempt because it is of critical importance?

Wave energy was not mentioned. I am a complete layperson in this area, but I am told that Irish wave energy could be like oil to Norway, on the south-west coast in particular. It could be Irish gold. What is the potential for Ireland developing a wave energy industry post-Brexit? Will it be easier for us to get investors into that and will it work? The witnesses might inform those of us who have less knowledge, scientifically and otherwise, where we are at with wave energy now and what the obstacles are for moving forward on that.

Would the fact that the decarbonisation policy is mutual to the UK and to the EU help? Nobody is against decarbonisation. Perhaps Mr. Trump is, but hopefully not. Nobody in the UK or the EU is seriously suggesting that we do not go ahead with decarbonisation, so should that lead to a ready solution? There is a mutuality of view there.

The witnesses said that it has been the view that we should not negotiate on energy. Is that based on the assumption that we are going to win on energy anyway and that there is no question around it because nothing will change with it, or is it a bit naive that we are not making energy a central part of negotiations? I would have thought that energy is crucial. It is almost like water, although we do not want to go back to a discussion on water. Energy is life-sustaining and life-giving. It is a very crucial area of discussion. I thought it would have been central to negotiations, unless the assumption is that there will be no problem with it and that everything will be as it stands. Perhaps there is social knowledge that this is the case and there is no need to negotiate. Is that the position? Why is it that we are not having negotiations about energy? To be honest, it is kind of weird, to use a popular term. I would appreciate answers to those questions.