Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

When one cuts through the spin, one can only judge the priority the Government gives to a particular area by the amount it is willing to spend. This time last year the Government, with considerable fanfare, launched an ocean energy programme and stated that €26 million would be spent over three years. Last year it spent €1 million and the Minister of State indicated it plans to spend €7 million this year. The only new information he provided is that this money will be subject to sanction from the Department of Finance on a quarterly basis. By the end of the second year of the three-year programme, the Government will only have spent €8 million. It is supposed to spend €26 million on the entire programme. The Minister of State has indicated that even the €7 million for this year is not certain.

Is the Minister of State in a position to indicate that the entire €7 million will be spent this year? Can the Minister also offer some certainty about fulfilling the commitment that was made of expenditure totalling €26 million by the end of next year? Of all the industries that require a boost, this is a potentially huge employer and in the current environment it is one of the areas that justifies significant capital expenditure.

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