Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to ask about the hydrogen strategy. I was part of a group that was in Berlin recently and hydrogen was one of the main areas we discussed there. The witnesses are probably well aware that the German economy is facing very significant decarbonisation challenges and Germany is looking to hydrogen and has estimated that it can probably produce at best 30% of its own hydrogen over the next ten to 20 years. Germany is therefore looking at outsiders and Ireland is being considered because of our west coast potential for offshore wind infrastructure and the amount of excess wind capacity we could have. We could be a conduit to develop hydrogen. First, we were told at that time that the hydrogen strategy was imminent and was probably going to be published. That was about a month ago. I think I heard it still has not been produced. Second, where do the witnesses believe we are at at this moment in time in developing a cohesive hydrogen strategy over the next five years - not 20 years but five years?