Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Connolly. I know of his personal interest in this matter, particularly when it comes to Ros an Mhíl and the works programme that was under way there. As he knows, a court case has delayed development at Ros an Mhíl. It is the intention of the Department to continue with that development. The Deputy will be aware of that. While our responsibility is to the fishing sector, there is no doubt that when that development is completed – and I am confident it will obtain planning permission and that we are going through the appropriate process – it will provide some benefit and potential to access offshore renewable projects. From my perspective and that of the Department, we want to drive ahead with that project.

Deputy Connolly talked about the wider issue of port infrastructure and where we are at in that regard. I am conscious that Cork Port has a significant investment programme under way, with the support of the European Investment Bank. Cork Port will be in a position to provide the appropriate access to the Tonn Nua site, which is the next wave of offshore development we see coming on board, as well as to other stage 1 projects already identified, mainly on the east coast. Cork Port has particular capacity which will provide that. Belfast Port might be suitable for some of the other sites on the east and north-east coast. They are more developer-led projects.

As we have begun work on the national DMAP, we will need other port infrastructure. I am confident that Ros an Mhíl will form part of that in due course. I also see huge potential for Shannon Foynes Port. Together with the ESB, there is a significant programme of investment in the deep-sea port at Moneypoint which heretofore was used to bring coal to the electricity station there. Just three weeks ago, the ESB finished burning coal, which was a positive development. Short term, it will burn heavy oil as it transitions completely from fossil fuels. Moneypoint Power Station has been taken out of the market so it is just an electricity generator of last resort now, to be used in extreme circumstances. The ESB has a significant plan to develop that site around the whole green energy potential. Harnessing electricity off the western seaboard, including floating offshore wind technology, is where it is looking to.

To address the Deputy’s specific point, development at Cork Port is under way. There is a significant plan in that regard. The new chief executive there has an ambitious plan and intends to drive the activity through the port to support the potential that is coming. I have met with the people at Shannon Foynes Port on many occasions. They have a strong plan to develop. A rail line is also being constructed into the national rail network from Foynes, which is positive. The money is going into the infrastructure.

With regard to the caveat to the national development plan, that is going to be a challenge for the Department. We are trying to ensure we get our fair share of the pie, as it were, to ensure that critical infrastructure that is important for the future economic growth and development of our economy is obtained. If you look to what the Government’s key priorities are around the national development plan, they are about housing and the electricity grid. If you want to improve the electricity grid and capture energy offshore, then it follows that the port infrastructure must be there too.