Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the 1920s and 1930s, the town of Kenmare had its own electricity, generated by a turbine in the Sheen River. We could do many things. I remind Deputies that there were salmon in the rivers at the time and there are not now. There is no doubt that there were salmon in the rivers at that time. We could certainly do more to produce more energy, similar to the people who came before us. If they were able to do that 90 or 100 years ago, why could we not do it successfully today? This is a laudable idea. I thought the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, could have been more supportive and have had more gusto. There are too many people looking at ideas and seeing what is faulty in them. There is too much apprehension about going forward. People have to take a leap and bring these things to fruition.

I must mention this genius of a man in the Kilgarvan side of Mangerton, Gerry Cunnane, who made his own turbine. He put it together and has been generating his own electricity for the last 25 years. It can be done but people need a bit of help and maybe a grant system to aid them, with support and advice to get it going. We need competition and more energy because we have more people and more usage of energy. It is a laudable Bill. I ask the Minister to support it.

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