Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I opened a conference on wind energy in Galway on Thursday last, the day before the referendum. There were 300 people there, including investors, innovators and people with real drive. The analysis given at the conference was that this country has some of the best locations in the world in terms of mean wind speeds, which is beneficial for wind energy. I support the concept of a task force on innovation, which is interesting and good. If we are to develop renewable energy sources such as wind, pumped storage, waves or tides, we must first deal with the grid. There is no point in trying to do this on a piece-by-piece basis in various parts of the country. It is a real problem for everybody.

If we aspire to putting in infrastructure and capacity all over the country as a result of the deliberations of the task force on innovation, this cannot happen unless we deal with the grid. Has the task force taken this into account in respect of the locations it proposes for particular types of innovation? There is no reason this country should not be a world centre in the development of wind energy. As has been pointed out by others, we could be exporting energy in a relatively short time if we get it right. However, this cannot happen, irrespective of the good work the innovation task force may do or moneys the Government draws from the innovation fund, if there are problems with the grid. This is a real problem and it must be analysed and focused on in everybody's interest.

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