Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response, the concluding part of which outlined the significant job potential that exists in this area. We need to gear up to be able to avail of those opportunities. I am thinking particularly of the supply of vessels during the construction phase. There is huge potential in the case of one of the projects proposed at the moment because it is estimated that up to 40 vessels will be required.

I know of a number of boatyards that would be in a position to construct those vessels if they were geared up for it and encouraged to go for that level of business, which is very significant. In terms of providing crew, we have many highly trained and skilled former and current fishermen working in the UK and Germany on these projects who would need minor upskilling to allow them to develop further and avail of these opportunities. Will the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources be co-ordinating this to ensure it happens or is this something that will sit in the ether and wait for somebody to pick it up and run with it?

See this speech in context