Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If I understand matters correctly, going ahead with measures to make wave energy projects commercially viable using the great resource we have available and the development of offshore wind energy projects is not contradictory. We can proceed with that agenda while recognising the practical need in the interim for oil and gas exploration. The level of dependency will reduce constantly. It should be recognised that gas is a relatively benign source of energy in its carbon output compared to most fossil fuels.