Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

What I stated in October is probably accurately quoted by Deputy Troy, and I am very glad to say I was aiming those remarks at certain players at the time and that logjams which had existed, particularly in connection to regulatory matters in the context of the all-island market, have since been happily concluded and now we are getting on with the business. Today I state to the Deputy I believe we will comfortably meet our targets.

With regard to a moratorium, the last thing the country needs at present is a moratorium on the creation of jobs. We have an unconscionably high number of people on the live register. At another time we could debate the historical reasons this is the case, but it is the case. Here we have an indigenous resource and the capacity to generate more energy than required for domestic demand. The neighbouring island is in need of energy, and in need of green energy to help meet its mandatory targets. It seems if we have the capacity to generate excess energy and there is a market for it on the neighbouring island, it is as old as trading cattle between the two islands that we should develop trade in this area. In the context of the need to put 250,000 people back to work the last thing we need is a moratorium.

I invite the Deputy to submit his concerns and suggestions to the ongoing planning consultation. It will go to consultation again as soon as proposals are ready from the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan. I want to be very sensitive about unreasonable intrusion in the lives of local communities or any local householder and great care needs to be taken. I do not want to make any political point about some of the complaints about the construction of turbines when the Deputy's own party was in office. It may very well have happened if I were in office also-----

See this speech in context