Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The consultation with citizens and local communities has not been adequate and must improve radically. As I mentioned, the Green Paper was published earlier this year. We have received many submissions and responses to it and have gone through them. We have organised a series of nine or ten seminars across the country as an initial response to the submissions. I launched the series some weeks ago. Deputy Colreavy attended the seminar where we launched the second phase of the consultation process. The objective is to work out our energy strategy for the country for the next 20 years, or the next generation. I want to publish by next summer a new strategy to which we can all buy in. We have six months. The Deputy says this should be done urgently. I acknowledge there some is urgency but we need the six months. We are having the seminars and are not charging anybody to enter. One must submit a written expression of interest in attending but we are not charging €1,000. I want to engage with communities, individuals and the Members of this House.

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