Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I find it interesting that the Deputy is making the argument he is. I do not disagree with it because my focus as Minister at the moment is on deep retro-fits of homes. That is why we have €100 million to focus on that in 2017, to deal with energy efficiency and to consider the suite of energy technologies that are there. I got grief earlier on from Deputy Dooley for not going down the electricity generation route. What I am trying to do is to strike a fair balance in regard to the suite of options available to us. Deputy Boyd Barrett is right that there is significant progress we can make on energy efficiency, which is my focus. I am in Tallaght later this week to speak on that very issue, which is important.

The strategic environmental assessment is the reason we have to delay the publication of the revised wind energy regulations. We have to go through the new strategic environmental assessment. I am not sure about the 3% or 4% statistic the Deputy cited in regard to wind but I note that as part of the DS3 programme, it will be possible to improve the carbon efficiency of wind. Hopefully, we will see other options in regard to the storage of wind-generated electricity.

See this speech in context