James Breen (Clare, Independent)

Our dependence on imported energy sources is currently as high as 90%, something of which this Administration should be ashamed. This dependence should have been attacked aggressively in the lifetime of the Government. It is scandalous that despite a major increase in energy use, alternative energies contribute less than 3% of that output.

We have known for years of the dwindling oil reserves around the world and the associated rise in cost of supply, yet nothing constructive was done to address this shortfall until recently when — as with everything else this Government eventually addresses — reports and inquiries were sanctioned.

The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, stated last evening he would shortly announce the establishment of an energy research council to advise on the development of an energy research policy. This should have been established nine years ago when this Government first came to power. The simple fact is that this Administration has no idea of energy policy, how best to maximise alternative energy supplies and at 5% has failed to meet or even come close to its requirements under the Kyoto Protocol.

I stated previously in this House that in a written reply to a parliamentary question tabled by me, the Minister stated he hoped to have interconnectors operational by 2012. These interconnectors should be a priority. We should currently be in advanced consultation with our British counterparts to determine the best way forward for putting them in place.

We are all aware of wind as a natural resource but action needs to be taken to advance its use and to increase the construction of wind farms. We need to tackle the delays and the high costs of obtaining connections to the national grid for wind farms. We then need to ensure the urgent installation of those interconnectors with our EU partners in the event that wind temporarily fails us.

Renewable energy has to supply 13.2% of total energy consumption by 2010 and currently we are not even halfway there. At total of 13.2% is approximately 1,450 MW of installed energy capacity. Biomass technologies currently supply about 30MW. Budget 2006 announced grant aid of €65 million over the next five years for renewable energy schemes, that is €13 million per year. If this grant aid amount were ten times higher I would think the Government was serious about its supposed energy policy.

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