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

I agree with the Deputy that we are coming from a very difficult position. Over the previous decade, the money was not available to make the investments that were needed. The targets that were set for 2020 did not accurately reflect from where we were coming. Nevertheless, my focus is on ensuring we can not only achieve our 2030 targets but exceed them. Undoubtedly, we face a very challenging road ahead in this regard. We are making significant progress in some areas. For example, we are a global leader in the development of ocean energy technology. We are also the global leader in variable renewable energy, such as wind on the grid, where we can take a 60% loading on an isolated grid, which is something that no other country in the world has done to date. We have genotyped 1 million cattle, which will have a direct impact in beef production. We are making progress. It is not as quick as it should be and it is correct that it will have to be increased significantly from here on.

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