Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the contributors for their time and comments. They mentioned that onshore wind accounted for about 38% of our electricity last year. What percentage do our guests estimate offshore to account for, given the number of projects in the pipeline over the coming years? In my constituency, there is the Kish Bank basin proposal, which is a rehash of a previous plan that did not get very far, thankfully. I note what our guests said about wind turbines and all the technological advancements. There are now fewer turbines and the plan has changed somewhat. Nevertheless, after the public consultation, things have gone quiet and people are unsure as to what the next stage is. Mr. Moran spoke about communication. It is important that the public are aware of the next phase when the consultation is complete.

Mr. Cunniffe stated "more than 10% of renewable generation was lost because the grid could not accommodate it." What measures could prevent that loss of energy? Does the technology exist? One issue I have come across relates to the energy cloud. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage recently launched a scheme with Clúid Housing. To me, it seems to be a really good and efficient use of potentially lost energy in the grid.

Mr. Cunniffe stated that we will not decarbonise our electricity system without new overhead lines or underground cables. Is the preference of Wind Energy Ireland's members for overhead or underground? It is a controversial issue and I am interested in hearing our guests' views.