Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My two very last questions are for the ESB. It is difficult to predict what is going to happen in 2050 and that is what we are trying to do here. I would love the ESB to present other experts. I acknowledge the Pöyry consultancy produced this report and is very credible, but what energy expert believes that biomass in power generation is going to be the real future? That is particularly the case in recent years when the cost of alternative renewables have plummeted. It is all about interconnection - which was not mentioned - and storage. I would love to see carbon capture and storage, CCS, happening but look at the cost of renewables plummeting. CCS is not happening anywhere at scale. Will the ESB present some other energy experts who think that biomass in power generation makes sense for Ireland? I would love to compare that with some of the international think tanks that I could bring in that would say that is cuckoo.

The ESB stated that State intervention and support was needed for power stations for EV vehicles. I agree fully with that. How much would Mr. O'Shea spend on that? The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, is next door. I am going to go into him now. How much should I be asking for and what should he spend that on?