Dáil debates

Thursday, 16 September 2021

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Renewable Energy Generation

10:10 am

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It will take time but I see it tapping into the resource we have, particularly in the north-west. This is inevitable because where we have the really heavy wind resources, off the north-west coast of Ireland, is probably one of the best places on the planet. We have real skill and capability in industrial engineering processing so we can bring it ashore and use it. The most critical development in that regard is the Maritime Area Planning Bill, which is coming into the Oireachtas this autumn. We need to get that through quickly. We have to set up the institutions that will come out of it in regard to planning. What we have found in this country is that we need to get the planning right, including environmental planning. As I said to Deputy Barry earlier, it has to be in tune with protection of our nature-based systems, not against that. Using this proper planning, thinking long-term and getting it right will take time. We will do the east coast first but, very quickly, in this decade, we will start moving into southern waters, likely feeding into areas like Cork, Waterford Port and Shannon-Foynes. The bigger project, that 30 GW project, is more likely in the next decade but the scale of it is beyond compare and we have to start planning now.

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