Mr. Feargal O'Rourke:

As members will know, there has been a successful auction of offshore wind. It is the first successful one we have had. To the Deputy's last point, and I think it is really important and again we are looking well into the future, some people have talked about Ireland becoming an exporter of energy in the future. I think that would be an opportunity missed. I think that would be a bit like, back in the day, exporting live cattle on the hoof. The things we could do with that excess of energy in developing hydrogen opportunities in bringing back industries like the manufacture of steel and concrete. If we manage to become a net surplus generator of renewable and reliable energy then we should not just export it but should be asking what industries can we build around hydrogen and in industries that we have been in before. That is the real opportunity for us over the next decade.