Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and acknowledge the progress that has been made to date on foot of the arrangements emanating from last year's budget. Other commitments contained in the programme for Government will build upon that progress. We look forward to seeing commitments in the forthcoming budget in addition to the funding that has been provided to date, as outlined by the Minister.

I want to focus specifically on the final part of the Minister's answer concerning the exploratory process for providing green energy hubs using the existing infrastructure of the power plants in Lough Ree and west Offaly, namely, Lanesborough and Shannonbridge. On 22 July, I raised with the Minister the prospect of the ESB seeking tenders for the demolition of those plants. Unfortunately, that prospect has now come to fruition, with the ESB publishing those tender documents last week. This flies in the face of the commitment we had understood was in place in respect of the plants. It jeopardises the potential for alternative industry, employment and prospects for the two locations and the wider region if the ESB is allowed to proceed with its plans.

Following on from the same plea I made in July, will the Minister indicate what prospect there is on the part of Government, insofar as it has dealings with the ESB, to ask the company to refrain from its present course of action, to allow a window of opportunity whereby a competition might be forthcoming from private or public sector interests and to ascertain what best use might evolve from such a process to ensure alternative job prospects and alternative prospects for the well-being of the communities involved?

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