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

I heard the Tánaiste state in this House not too long ago, and I agree with him, that the future in regard to Shannon is in hydrogen. Let us consider Cork Harbour and the Shannon Estuary, where much of our heavy industry is located. It is where much of our electricity generation, oil refineries and pharmaceuticals are based, all of which will switch to hydrogen. It is also the location in which we will bring ashore the off-shore wind. That, through electrolysis converted to hydrogen, gives us the perfect, secure, indigenous, gas-alternative green hydrogen, not blue. The Shannon Estuary task force is undergoing its work at present. I look forward to its views and will tell it that the correct and best investment for us is to switch to a green hydrogen alternative.

Anytime I talk to people with real expertise in the energy area, in thinking forward five to ten years and considering what the best investment is, they believe the hydrogen alternative is the way to go. Frans Timmermans, the Vice President of the European Commission, gave an important speech in recent weeks. He set out how ports, particularly those that develop hydrogen, could be the centre of the new economy. I believe that will be the future for both Cork and Shannon.

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