Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communication, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Government as a whole, are very conscious of the extraordinary impact offshore wind can have on the economy of the west and in meeting our energy needs into the future. We could become a net exporter of electricity and energy into the future, with the use of hydrogen as well. There is very significant potential for the west coast, south-west coast and east coast with regard to the exploitation of wind into the future. Without question, the Ukrainian-Russian situation and the current crisis in energy prices reveals the need for more renewables and for us to do more on the renewable front. Looking at a European map, it is very clear that we have to do more on renewables and that is the entire focus of the Government right now.

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