Mr. Noel Regan:

In response to the Deputy's first question, this legislation does two things. It creates the market for hydrogen and the network access for that market. It is facilitative. It still allows Ireland to make its own choices as to how it creates the hydrogen and where it is used. We operate within the market but we are allowed that choice. Our intention is to have a hydrogen strategy within the climate action plan for 2022. The timing is quite opportune in terms of where we are today. The 2021 climate action plan sets out those points I made earlier as to where the hydrogen opportunities will largely be in Ireland, given that we are making developments in offshore wind, for example. There are a lot of actions relating to hydrogen within the climate action plan 2021. There is research going on within Government Departments. The SEAI also has a programme of research. I assure the Deputy that there is work going on from the last climate action plan and many actions that will feed in to where we are. In terms of stepping forward now to our own hydrogen strategy, on top of the climate action plan we now also have this legislation, which is really important because it sets the market and arrangements that the strategy will be based on. It is a key piece.

Our intention is to consult on the strategy in the coming months and the summer in order that we are then ready to have the hydrogen strategy as part of the climate action plan for 2022. I agree that this is an opportune moment. We now have the basis for our actions in the climate action plan for 2021. This is not agreed legislation but at least it shows clearly the pathway for the market and we can now prepare our strategy on that basis.