Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

Does the Minister accept the gulf between his rhetoric and his record is such that it leaves him vulnerable to criticism? When he launched this so-called €26 million programme on ocean energy in January 2008, he said he was setting out to ensure Ireland would win the race in establishing a viable ocean energy device. Will he not accept that other countries are in the process of winning that race and that we have failed in regard to the first ambition the Minister set out for himself? He said we had the most sophisticated State-support system for ocean energy in the world. He has not been able to get his unit up and running in time to spend the €5 million he was supposed to spend last year, so sophisticated is his record in terms of support.

Will the Minister outline exactly how the €26 million will be spent? He has already lost one year, where he has spent only €1 million. This year he is talking about €7 million; what is the situation as regards the following year, 2010?

I have a specific question, too, on the applications, which were sought only in November by the Department. How many applications have been sought, how many proposals have been received and what is the funding available for them?

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