Ms Kate Dempsey:

I will make a quick comment on Ireland's capacity to form part of that supply chain. We have already established we have a base in Arklow, which is encouraging offshore renewables. We have already started a company, Ondine, and employed 40 people across various skill sectors, all relating to survey works for offshore renewable energy. We have brought in the various assets to support that. As a company in the survey world, which forms a substantial part of that supply chain, the capabilities Ireland can use to play its part in it and to drive value for Ireland, one of the key challenges we face is that for phase 1 and phase 2 projects, access to their maximum has suspended survey activity. As a result, when one wants to build a comprehensive supply chain, all of these things that may have been put on the long finger or delayed for any reason really impact on the ground the types of companies that are trying to establish themselves. I encourage the Government to be cognisant of the wider remit of people who are trying to access this industry in order to build businesses now.