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

I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. I do not think Deputy McDonald raised any issue around the Davos meeting but instead raised an issue about An Bord Pleanála and the energy issues. Energy is a big issue at European Union level at the moment, as it is globally, across the board. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has initiated an inquiry into An Bord Pleanála. He has commissioned a senior counsel to look at those issues. The planning regulator is also doing a review of its processes. An Bord Pleanála itself has done an internal review. It is the Government's intention to hold An Bord Pleanála to account in respect of these issues, to get clarity and transparency without prejudice, and to act subsequently by introducing any legislative improvements that might be required and considering its approach to ensure An Bord Pleanála is fit for purpose.

In terms of offshore wind energy, the maritime legislation that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, piloted through the House last year was a major breakthrough. We now must establish the maritime area regulatory authority, MARA, administratively, get it up and running as fast as we can, and get the necessary consents in place, because the key issue for the future of this country will be that we accelerate offshore wind energy and floating technology in particular. The European Union has made it clear that it wishes to create a new regulatory framework that would facilitate faster permitting of offshore wind developments.

It will create an overriding public interest clause, namely, climate change, as the basis to override other planning objections to offshore wind platforms and floating technology so that we can shorten the timeline between the conception of a wind energy project and completion. At the moment it is about eight years, but we do not have eight years to wait. We have to move faster.

I can anticipate what will happen, of course. That regulation will come and everyone will then come around it, scrum and say, “Actually, you should not be doing that. Can we go back to life as normal?” We have to have that debate, anyway.

Deputy Bacik described Davos as the most exclusive lobbying club around and asked what companies were lobbying me. I am fairly embarrassed to say we were doing the lobbying in terms of some of the companies. I attended a dinner, hosted by IDA Ireland, with 30 companies that are in Ireland and have interests in Ireland. We took the opportunity to suggest they could invest more in Ireland. We use those occasions to identify what they feel the needs are within Ireland and how best Ireland can progress. These are companies in life sciences, technology and other areas. It is a very useful occasion for Ireland to advance its cause to advocate for workers and jobs in our economy and society. Equally, then, there is a very strong political element to it as well.

Around the war in Ukraine, I met the Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, and the foreign minister. Again, one was struck by the enormous dedication of these officials and political representatives of Ukraine. They looked exhausted at that particular meeting that day, given the round of meetings they had to engage in on behalf their people. People can have a go at Davos, but when you see a country such as Ukraine that is under enormous pressure, Davos was extremely useful for them to be able to advocate for their people in terms of a whole range of issues. Their diplomacy was very impressive. It led actually as well to the European Union granting Ukraine candidate status for European Union membership.

I say to Deputy Boyd Barrett that we can learn from France. I know Deputy Murphy was anxious that Deputy Boyd Barrett might learn on the nuclear front as well because he suggested it. Nuclear energy is one the ways France is keeping its energy prices down. Is Deputy Boyd Barrett advocating that we go nuclear like France?

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