Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis an Aire. Tá sé deas a bheith ag caint leis inniu, go háirithe faoi wires príobháideacha. Níl a fhios agam an focal é sin. Fillfidh mé ar an rud a bhí á phlé agam leis sa Dáil. Obviously, we accept we are time bound and there are looming fines. However, it has not been fully defined as to how much those fines will be. Does the Minister agree we should be investing the equivalent of the estimated fines we will have to face to buy the credits of other EU countries that do reach the targets? Should we not be rushing that into our ports now? We spoke about this before and the investment in Cork Port is €90 million. There is a good €300 million or €400 million we need to put into other ports and Cork Port itself to make the fast-tracking of our offshore renewable energy, ORE, much better. On the curtailment element of our ORE, how is the Minister's Department planning on making it easier to trap the energy when there is a huge surplus and massive amount of energy going in? Is green hydrogen on the cards? Will electrolysis stations be used?

I really welcome what the Minister said about private wires and that this will be fast-tracked. I thank the Minister for all the engagement he has given me. It is great to see he is prioritising this and I know it is a huge issue for himself as well. On end to end, can the Minister give us any idea what the policy statement that will be brought out will be? Will it allow for protection of eco-villages or microgrids and for people who have their own on-site power and want to power themselves? For developments, especially with private developers, when they have their own nearby solar farms, will the owners of those units be the owners of the solar farms or will they be stuck in a bit of a trap with the private developer? That is something else we do not want to happen.

I had a recent meeting with the ESB. It has a document on private wires. I am 100% sure the Minister has seen it. The ESB is supportive of it but is just worried - rightfully so - because it does not want this to be the wild west. I do not think it will be. The Bill I proposed, which I am trying to get fast-tracked, is an interim measure whereby anything under 5 MW is exempt from needing permission. That is something that would be very good, as 5 MW is the sweet spot and I want an update on that.