Dr. Simon Berrow:

Yes. From speaking to wind farm companies, they want certainty but they are not getting it from the Government. They are investing hundreds of millions of euro but they are not even sure whether they will get planning permission or what the monitoring or decommissioning obligations are. It is not helpful to them either. They would like a lot more certainty when they are investing hundreds of millions of euro over 20 or 30 years. It would be good for everybody.

How do we build policy to try to enhance what we have been speaking about? I was struck by a new project in Scotland, the Scottish marine environmental enhancement fund, which is supported by the wind farm companies. They are putting money into a fund for the type of projects we are speaking about. They are directly involved and it is directly relevant. We do not have to reinvent the wheel. There are many experiences we can gain from other countries. What fits well for Germany does not necessarily fit well in Ireland. What fits in the UK may not be appropriate here. Let us use what has happened elsewhere and make it fit for purpose for Ireland.