Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

He pointed out that the regulator was driven by getting the best cost for the consumer and by bringing renewables on board. We are looking at introducing a new support scheme for renewables to contribute towards achieving our targets. Could Professor FitzGerald please outline the technologies he would prefer to see us supporting? Onshore wind is being given priority at the moment. Can he speak to the cost-benefit analysis of that technology as compared to other renewables such as offshore wind, biomass, anaerobic digestion and so on? He might deal with them individually. He might also deal with solar energy and what that can bring to the table.

As we have tried to achieve change over the past number of years, we have often talked at a high level but nothing has ever filtered down into action or into progress towards addressing issues. With regard to offshore wind energy, is there a problem with the planning system? We do not have a planning regime for people who want to develop this renewable resource. We do not have a planning authority similar to the county council or to An Bord Pleanála to which such people can go. Is that not an issue?

I am from County Mayo, which has great renewable resources, including wind, wave and so on. Eirgrid's plans do not include the development of transmission infrastructure beyond Bellacorick where the old peat-fired power station is located, yet there is a test site for wave energy off the coast of Belmullet.

Would this not need to be a priority if we are going to consider wind energy?

Before briefly mentioning farming, I wish to talk about roads. The Citizens' Assembly is advocating two thirds public transport and one third road transport. As an economist who provides advice, would Professor FitzGerald accept that there are areas which never experienced major road investment, for example, major interurban routes such as the west and north west, although there are at least some plans there now to do so? A Bus Éireann bus can be put on a road but we need the roads to facilitate our economic growth if they are going to be considering anything like this. When the Green Party was in government with Fianna Fáil, it put the emphasis back on public transport, but we still have a deficit on roads. There should be nuanced thinking in areas that need to be developed when we are developing these policies and they will need more support to be self-sustaining. I am talking not just from the environmental point of view but also from the people point of view if we are to create jobs and investment in areas.