Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

My point was a general one in that irrespective of the mechanics of how it is achieved, we must display a far greater urgency about the actual grid and the potential to plug into new areas where new wind turbine investments will take place. There should not be a long delay of seven, ten or 15 years in between.

The all-party Oireachtas Commitee on Climate Change and Energy Security made a specific recommendation and drafted a Bill to deal with the matter of foreshore licences, proposing the Marine Institute as the handling agency. We still have not seen that Bill on the books of this House. It is not for me to suggest this to the Taoiseach but I believe having the imprimatur of an all-party Oireachtas committee means that this should be driven through. We should not have business people who are prepared to invest serious money in potential energy production systems finding themselves strangled by the process.

As the Taoiseach said, finality must come to these matters and even under the critical infrastructure system the courts and the European courts will always beckon. International information is available now at the drop of a hat and if one goes to any kind of meetings there are people producing evidence from all over the world, as Ministers will know. I share the view about finality, taking into account people's rights and having in place the highest level of safety conditions.

While I am on my feet I have another question. A number of months ago I visited the Gaza Strip. I do not know if the issue of Gaza was discussed at the European Council meeting. We stood in the ruins of a businessman's factory which had been blown to bits in the Israeli offensive at the end of last year.

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