Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security produced new legislation, the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Bill, which puts in place new structures for the development of offshore energy. While we are told there is €16 billion in investment waiting to be made in this country and jobs could be created we have not heard what will happen to this legislation. It appears on no list. This is an all-party committee of both Houses of the Oireachtas including parties and Independents. We went to the trouble of putting in place modern legislation to deal with offshore development. Surely the Government can take on board this important legislation which can be passed here in the space of a week so development can take place in offshore wind and wave energy. The Ceann Comhairle may have read in The Irish Times that €100 million is being invested by the European Union in a super grid.

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