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

I hope I can clarify the position. I do not agree that it would be premature if an agreement is concluded. Its purpose is to facilitate the initiation of a traded sector in green energy. Causing it to happen is a different matter. The law would then exist to permit it happening if X and Y fell into place. I agree with Deputy Wall that it would be premature to conclude an agreement before the national policy planning framework is in place. I have made it plain during Question Time in this House that if any developer is contemplating putting in a planning application before the national policy planning framework is in place, it will not be dealt with. Deputy Wall can be reassured on that point - the national policy planning framework will be in place before any planning application is entertained from any developer, public or private. The Deputy referred to Bord na Móna’s recent announcement about the creation of a digital hub. For a number of years now Bord na Móna has been considering what it will do with a couple of hundred thousand acres of cutaway bog. It has been considering how to develop a new mission for the company. It could be a central player, but the same rules would apply to it and it would have to go through the national policy planning framework as well.

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