Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Aontaím leis an méid atá ráite ag an Teachta Ó Cuív ó thaobh ainm na heagraíochta. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais go dtí an dara pointe. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil an chéad phointe tábhachtach. Ba chóir go mbeadh ainm Gaelach ar an eagraíocht seo. This is very complex and important legislation. It probably has not received much attention outside the specific sectors that are considering it but it potentially has significant ramifications for large parts of the country. The Bill consists of 245 pages setting out a planning regime for a maritime area that is seven times the footprint of the land mass of the State. It is enormous. This is once-in-a-generation legislation, so it is crucial that we get it right.

There are enormous opportunities in this area. I think of my own locality in terms of Cork Harbour and the potential that exists there for offshore wind energy. This is vitally important. It is difficult not to think of some of the failures in connection with wind turbines on land, which is very important and valuable technology. However, too often, the planning process that surrounded such wind turbines led to conflict with local communities and misunderstandings. A lot of that arose from inadequate consultation. I am hoping that through this legislation we will ensure those mistakes are not repeated and that the consultation is very intensive and gives adequate opportunities for communities to have their say. In so doing, it is likely that the danger of legal challenges and conflicts with heritage legislation, conservation areas and designations of that kind will be minimised. We need to ensure the communities in question buy into that.

That brings me on to the second point on which I agree with Deputy Ó Cuív. The first point on which I agree with him relates to the title of the organisation, which should be in Irish, in keeping with the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill that is currently going through these Houses. As well as being crucial in terms of energy and climate change and the benefits that can bring, there is also the potential for significant generation of wealth. I would much prefer, as Deputy Ó Cuív pointed out, that it would be either the State or local communities that would benefit from that wealth and that, as much as possible, the State or community energy trusts should be directly involved. That would also be a subtle way to ensure there is community buy-in for this. Local communities, particularly those that could be affected by the generation of wind energy, need to benefit from the wealth it may create.

A maritime issue that could be affected by the Bill is that of draft net fishermen. It is a very specific issue but I wish to flag it because I have raised it in the past . There are not many draft net fishermen left. They are in a very small number of locations. Their experience is that since the regulations were changed and they came under Inland Fisheries Ireland some years ago, their voice has not been adequately heard. It is a long tradition but there are very few people still at it. We need to look at the structures in order to ensure the voice of the draft net fishermen and fisherwomen is heard and that they are adequately represented. I might raise the issue again at a later opportunity.

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