Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is the second time that the Minister has told me that we have a renewable energy strategy but I contend that we do not. Any such strategy must contain a minimum of six features. It must specify how the impact on the environment, human health and animal health will be measured and monitored. It must outline how we would measure the impact on existing major industries, including tourism and agri-food, for example. It must specify how the interests of the host communities will be safeguarded after the awarding of the licences and how community consent will be obtained. It must further specify how the level of accessible reserves can be accurately and honestly measured and reported. It must also include an approval-granting process that is open, transparent and incapable of misuse by vested interests. Finally, it must ensure that the benefits accrue to the people of Ireland in terms of revenue to the State, employment, energy security and energy price control in the State.

Without all those features, we have the equivalent of requests for proposals being put at a car boot sale. We should be doing a lot better.

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