Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

There is an acknowledgment that there has been an improvement and engagement, but in reinventing engagement it is important to be clear that it is not accompanied by reinventing the planning process. It seems there have been better outcomes from better engagement by the industry, and that should allow it to navigate the planning process rather than being in any sense seen as a substitute for the planning process. Will our guests comment specifically on the use of environmental impact assessments, that is, not appropriate assessments for Natura 2000 sites but environmental impact assessments and social impact assessments? Is there an acknowledgment that many community concerns early on have improved the industry? We saw that in terms of noise. A significant aspect of offshore relates to seismic activity and its impact. That is another really important area where there is a precautionary principle.

I heard a reference to "science based". To be clear, the European principles are a precautionary principle that does not mean that nothing is done but rather that an attempt is made to be even ahead of where the research is headed. Specifically on the issue of the marine protected areas, do our guests anticipate that the industry will contest the zoning of marine protected areas, based on any planning applications that may have been granted or are pending? That is a concern. We want to make the marine protection area zoning be heavily driven by the protection of our marine environment.

Will our guests follow up with written comments on the just transition and learning from the good and the bad of what has happened in Scotland, and on Wind Energy Ireland's role in that? Do they agree that gas is not a transition fuel? Should there be a greater emphasis on investment in storage technology versus carbon capture?