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

I apologise for being late into the House.

I am grateful to Deputy Wall for giving me the opportunity to comment in the House on the possibility of a wind export project between this country and Britain. Because of the controversy surrounding the necessary build-out of the grid to meet our own domestic energy goals, the entirely separate wind export project is frequently misrepresented. The wind export project has also become confused, as Deputy Wall has said, with interconnectivity and with the inevitable thrust of EU policy towards greater integration of the energy market. The days of the island energy market are over, and interconnectivity works both ways. Interconnectivity has happened, is happening and will happen whether the contemplated export project gets off the ground or not. The need to have a modern transmission system that is fit for purpose will not go away if the wind project does not get off the ground.

With regard to export markets, the House will know that in January 2013 the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey, and I signed a memorandum of understanding on energy co-operation. This entails a consideration of how Irish renewable energy resources, onshore and offshore, might be developed to the mutual benefit of Ireland and the UK, and a decision as to whether it is beneficial for both countries to enter into an intergovernmental agreement, IGA, on renewable energy trading.

The work programme on an IGA, which is under way since last year, includes economic analysis, policy and regulatory questions and grid issues. A wide ranging and thorough cost-benefit analysis is nearing completion. As I have said many times, for Ireland to enter into any intergovernmental agreement there would have to be clear, realisable and significant benefits accruing to the country. Any potential rewards would have to outweigh all potential risks. The foreseen benefits would need to include investment, jobs and growth. Local authorities would have to benefit from rates inflows. Local communities would have to benefit from appropriate community gain proposals. Ireland Inc. would have to benefit from appropriate returns to the Exchequer and infrastructure to underpin economic and social development. Subject to the ongoing cost-benefit analysis and agreement regarding the potential benefits to Ireland, the ambition is to settle on an intergovernmental agreement in 2014. A tentative deadline was in mind which was this spring. Put simply, as Ed Davey said at the signing of the MOU, if the numbers stack up, we can do a deal. If not, there will not be an intergovernmental agreement.

Any new wind farms, whether for the domestic or export market, will be subject to the planning Acts, including the requirements for public consultation, irrespective of the source of funding for their construction. Currently, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government - in conjunction with my Department and other stakeholders - is consulting on a targeted review of its wind energy development guidelines in relation to noise, proximity and shadow flicker.

Separately, I am putting in place a clear national planning policy context for renewable energy export which will guide An Bord Pleanála when considering proposals of a significant scale for wind energy export. The renewable energy export policy and development framework will be developed over the next 12 to 15 months and will provide the opportunity to integrate relevant EU directive requirements, trans-boundary dimensions and stakeholder participation within the context of a national framework. The stage 1 public consultation concluded in November 2013. That was the first of three consultations that will be held at key points in the development of the framework, all offering interested parties opportunities to present their views on how we should develop national policy to realise the potential benefits of the export of renewable energy.

My job is to endeavour to open up a new traded sector with Britain and, in the process, to facilitate job creation and wealth generation for Ireland. It is not my job to favour one developer or another, but I agree with Deputy Wall that it is difficult to envisage the maturing of such a project without the utilisation of State lands. That would also have the merit of minimising intrusion on local communities.

I do not know how appropriate it is, a Cheann Comhairle, for me to comment on the very robust debate that is under way in the United Kingdom or its recent decisions concerning fracking, except to say that, like Deputy Wall, I am aware that it is indeed a very robust debate.

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