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

I will try to answer those various questions in the short time I have.

In response to Deputy Hourigan, I can say that the EU-US agreement does not impinge on us or force us in any direction. We have to make our own strategic decisions based on our own energy modelling and assessment. We always work in European co-operation, but in gas we are separated in effect from the European grid gas connection system because we are on the far side of the UK.

On Deputy Bruton's question on the auction for the protected quota for floating offshore wind, in some ways it comes to his second question. I expect that that will come in phase 2. As I mentioned earlier, the first phase is the relevant project. I expect that the auction process for the second phase will be up and running, if not completed, within the lifetime of this Government. That is the sort of scale we need to be able to deliver before the end of the decade, and it must be before the end of the decade. We can and should be much more ambitious. We will need to progress the hydrogen strategy this year. It is a very complex area that is evolving. The best analysis I have is that industrial applications will probably be received first. It is a question of whether we convert to hydrogen or ammonia. There are various other mechanisms. It could be an export opportunity for the country. The exact mechanism in that and the exact mechanism of the gas network, including how it is transmitted and stored, is the subject of the hydrogen review and the wider energy security review.

Lastly, in response to Deputy Farrell, I agree with him that the supply chain option for us, when we move to that floating offshore wind, is where it really scales up. I expect that the deep sea ports, including those in Cork, Shannon Foynes, Belfast and Derry, and other ports where there is large energy infrastructure and deep-water harbour facilities, are where we should be looking - the task force will be looking at it - at the manufacturing as well as deployment as a major industrial opportunity for our country.

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