Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Likewise, I ask the Minister of State about the amount of electricity that can be generated from renewable sources. We have seen some areas move towards solar farms, for example, but it is a very slow process. The farmer might get permission but he or she might have to wait a number of years to get connected to the grid. There is no incentive in that regard. We saw in recent times where there may be development of wind turbines, which I believe have a huge part to play, but there is a huge disincentive in that regard. There has been an increase in commercial rates, for example. I am aware that the rate for one of those turbines has increased from €40,000 to €120,000. That is a major disincentive to the entire process. What can we do in that regard? As mentioned earlier, the clock is ticking very fast. To move fast in this regard, we need incentivisation for all sectors, in particular the renewable sectors. What plans are in place to deal with these in the short term?

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