Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That is the point of the consultation process in which we are engaged. That is the point of our having debate and discussions in this House and elsewhere on what we need to do in terms of addressing these huge challenges for the future. I do not disagree with much of what has been said regarding the huge potential of renewable energy production. The Deputy is absolutely right in that regard, but it would not be true to say that we are way behind the pack. In fact, we have made considerable strides. I will be in Scotland quite soon to have a look at what they are doing and to discuss aspects of this area with my colleagues there.

Deputies can disagree with me if they wish, but I have a view that if we are having a serious debate about energy, where we give ourselves a few months to look at this in the round, with all the issues raised by the Deputies on the table, as it were, and have a really clear-headed debate, we cannot start by excluding one source and saying it is out of the equation. That is the basis upon which I said we should have a comprehensive debate and assessment, make our decisions in the summer and publish in September, and I hold to that view.

See this speech in context