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

Well, it is correct. We need to lead by public example in the public service. I also agree with Deputy Ó Laoghaire. The public service has to lead by putting solar panels on our buildings and particularly schools. I will follow this up with other Deputies but I would say that the Port of Cork, more than any other place, with the Shannon Estuary probably second, is where we would see huge potential in developing this offshore wind. That is not only on the energy generation side but also the application of that to deliver industry in Cork.

I will follow that by responding to my Rural Independent Group colleagues, Deputies Mattie McGrath, Danny Healy-Rae, Michael Healy-Rae, Michael Collins and others. I will make the point again that this will be good particularly for the west, south west, north west, and south east of Ireland because that is where the resource is strongest. It is in places such as Bantry Bay that we will bring the power ashore, but not only that, or in Shannon Estuary or Cork Harbour. I hear what Deputy Michael Collins says about the cost of fuel making it very difficult for trawlers and fishermen at the moment but the answer to that is not to turn our backs on what the likes of our ports could actually become, not just fishing centres but the centres of this new industry.

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