Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not trying to do anything in secret. I will certainly provide the Deputy with that information. As I said, there was a lot of information on it, and I would have answered questions in the past on the Atlantic margin programme. I agree there are bigger issues. As I said this on radio after the licence was issued, I would hope that future Ministers in my position will not even have to consider such matters because there would not be a need for oil or gas. Perhaps that will be the case at some stage in the future. There are many technologies relating to electric cars, but we are still a long way from finding alternatives to jet fuel and the fuel used for the marine sector. These are intense users of hydrocarbons. Alternatives might come in to play. In terms of the aviation sector, I am aware that the possibility of mixing bio-gas with jet fuel, which would reduce reliance, is being examined but that is some way off.

I would certainly offer the Department's support for any work the committee does on the area of energy security. The national mitigation plan is addressing that entire area but there are serious decisions to be made. For example, Moneypoint, which is a big producer of energy, is reliant on imported coal. It has to transition to an alternative over the coming years. Will that be natural gas and where will that come from? The peat stations in the midlands are a finite resource. They are considering integrating biomass in those stations. What are the alternatives in those areas?

I have huge concerns relating to the planning process. We talk about offshore wind and wind farms. As important as they are regarding climate change and our renewable policy, there is huge opposition in my constituency to some of those projects. I have huge concerns that if we progress with offshore wind, for example, there may be objections to bringing that energy ashore. Will the current objections get through planning processes? There is a bigger discussion to be had, and I will certainly support that.