Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

This is frustrating. Through the Houses' committee structure, people genuinely worked on an all-party basis in the country's interests and produced legislation because a Department will not. However, the Bill before the House makes no reference to the industry's potential.

Yesterday, my committee produced a report on the post-2020 electricity requirements. This came after a public consultation process in which submissions were made to us. I invite the Minister of State to read our report and check our website. Given the outrage expressed by potential investors over the lack of a proper planning structure for offshore renewable energy and the delays involved in dealing with these issues, I appeal to the Minister of State to speak with his friends in the Green Party, who have obviously done a deal between themselves. Any Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources worth his or her salt would not have allowed this legislation to pass at Cabinet level without insisting that reference be made to the role of his or her Department in the development of an important part of the economy.

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