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

The Deputy is right, in that we are uniquely endowed in terms of our renewable energy prospects. We have propitious wind resources, for example. The Deputy referred to the onshore performance in that regard. Wave and tidal energy is still at research stage. It could be an important element for Ireland down the line.

The extent to which renewables can be integrated into the system is an issue. As it happens, I am meeting EirGrid, the ESB and so on today to discuss our targets and, following the single electricity market, SEM, decision, what progress we can expect to make in the next three to four years. However, the amount of renewable energy that can be integrated into the system is limited. Given our capacity to generate more than our domestic need, we could develop an export trade if there was a market. We believe there is one on the neighbouring island. Therefore, if developers of scale come forward with projects, we will have the capacity to develop an export trade in the sector to which the Deputy referred.

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