Mr. John Mullins:

In response to Deputy Phelan, the Irish maritime and energy resource cluster, IMERC, is a fantastic opportunity.

In my time at Bord Gáis the company contributed towards its establishment and I championed the opportunity. I have been involved in energy internationally for more than 20 years. The Danes got a steal on onshore wind because they invested in it early and we have an opportunity to do the same with regard to marine energy. We have the intellectual capability and the naval involvement, particularly the involvement of the head of the Navy, Commodore Mark Mellett, has been phenomenal. He is to be congratulated on the way our navy and Defence Forces engage with industry and academia. IMERC has already received interest from US financiers in developing products and not only green energy.

Tidal energy is closer to reality than wave energy. During my time at Bord Gáis it invested in OpenHydro in Greenore and it has worked out handsomely. Bord Gáis obtained a Crown Estate licence for 100 MW offshore at Rathlin which goes to the UK market. As the markets will be unified, the price will be the same on both markets. The material science for wave energy must improve. I am an engineer and am aware of the large number of moving parts and hydraulics which go through enormous stresses and strains in storm force winds. The concept of studying the material science of this is critical to converting a commercial prototype into reality.

In the next five years, given the work going through IMERC and internationally, we will see the first commercially viable wave machines in motion. World energy issues will not be addressed with one silver bullet, whether that be shale gas or otherwise. All of the technologies must be harnessed and between tidal and wave energy IMERC is being developed at the right time and will have benefits for multiple ports throughout the country and for the country's balance of payments.

I have plenty of experience of the delays which can occur in foreshore licensing. All I can give the committee is my diagnosis. I have not engaged with the Port of Cork on the matter and I am not aware of any foreshore licence issue which is hindering the operations of the port. From my experience of having to deal with cables and other pieces of infrastructure, my diagnosis is that the area dealing with foreshore licensing has been moved from one Department to another and probably has not had the arms around it that it should have had, and has not been integrated as part of the overall planning process. This is my personal view and not that of the Port of Cork. There needs to be a realisation that foreshore licensing is part of the overall infrastructure provision and needs to be integrated as part of this. Many aspects of the planning process are such that economic pragmatism would indicate speed. There are times when it is proper not to allow a foreshore licence, but the process takes too long for the economic and competitive advantage of the country. We need to analyse why this happens. I do not believe the Port of Cork has issues of this nature at present. This is not to say we will not have such issues in the future. Perhaps the committee might take up the issue with the appropriate Department.