Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am referring to the time it takes to get through a legal process. That is equally an issue. The planning and legal systems have proven to be a genuine bottleneck. The planning system was particularly bad in recent years due to difficulties in An Bord Pleanála. We did not have a large number of projects coming through the planning system to go into the auction system. That was a genuine failing. That is being addressed. We have seen a very significant increase in resources. There are now 310 staff in An Bord Pleanála. There is a need to publish the review of the national planning framework so we can also address the planning issues at local council level. The truth is that there are councils right across the country that have effectively ruled themselves out of the renewables revolution, and that is going to create great difficulties. We are going to examine how the local development plans help us in meeting the strategic aims.

I mentioned the courts system. Even though many projects got through the planning process, many went straight into judicial review. We have resourced the High Court and introduced the environmental courts to try to ensure the process does not take inordinate time – obviously, people have legal rights – and place an inordinate cost burden on the Irish people.

To reiterate what the Deputy said, I absolutely agree the drumbeat of actions is what we need, backed up by good planning so we have projects ready to go. That is happening. The RESS 4 auction last week or the week before was successful. More than 2 GW of capacity are to be added to our system. Both wind and solar are doing well. We wanted to keep the price below the €100 benchmark. It is a case of real capability.

Similarly with offshore wind, it is a question of the drumbeat. We had the first ORESS 1 Cabinet meeting yesterday. We agreed and signed off on the DMAP for the south coast. That now goes to the Oireachtas to be approved. On approval, it becomes a formal plan. I am absolutely confident that the phase 1 projects are all going to planning as we speak. Subject to them getting through the planning system in a timely manner, I am absolutely confident we can meet the 5 GW offshore wind target and leap on from there. The DMAP in the southern area could deliver at least another 5 GW or 6 GW of power. Going to a plan-led system makes things predictable and, as the Deputy said, routine. We will have the second ORESS auction early next year. It is a matter of taking the political and planning risk out of the investment decision or lowering it as much as we can. It cannot be taken out completely. By lowering it, the cost of these massive capital projects is reduced, reducing the cost of electricity for people.

We have had a genuine delay because of legal and planning issues in recent years, but we can and will overcome them. We will deliver.