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

I want to make two points. I am not looking for whole swathes of the State to be designated. We are talking about 22 specific sites in the area stretching from Tipperary in the south up to Westmeath, over to Kildare and back to east Galway. The Minister made the point that EU regional aid guidelines would not enable the Government to do that but he will be aware that this area is now accepted by the European Union as being unique. It is part of the EU designated coal region in transition. As a result, there is an opportunity to look at unique and targeted supports for these communities. I do not believe we can have it any tighter than 22 specific sites across the State. This is the equivalent of Google leaving Dublin.

We need to put some type of incentive in place for private sector investment. Yes, we will have some public sector investment, but it is important to encourage private sector investment also. In that context, if we had a designation in place I believe the ESB may consider submitting a new planning application. I believe the ESB should have submitted a new planning application for 100% domestically-sourced biomass facilities in Lanesboro and in Shannonbridge. That the ESB has not done this will create, I believe, a very dangerous precedent in the development of a biomass sector, which is fundamentally important to us in reaching our climate change targets and providing sustainable, long-term and green employment across the midlands.

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