Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The reality is that people who want to invest in the biomethane sector in Europe are not coming to Ireland to invest. They are going elsewhere, because we do not have the structures within which they can invest. We did not even apply to the EU for that money. The reality is that Moneypoint is gearing up production at a time when we are saying that we are bringing in green energy, that we are going to create green hydrogen and that we will bring offhsore energy ashore at Moneypoint. That reality is further away than ever because the investors who were bringing both the money and the technology to bear on this matter are walking away from Ireland shaking their heads.

Those investors are going to Scotland. I do not know why they are moving away but I am told they are doing so because of Ireland's inability to put frameworks in place to allow them to invest money. They are going to Scotland instead. We are producing 24 MW of offshore energy while Scotland is producing 1,900 MW.

The Taoiseach is correct that consents are only now being given out for phase 1. Phase 2 will be the stage when floating energy will be able to develop green hydrogen that might some day fuel emergency generators. People need to know now whether power-to-X will be included. We have data centres that can take power directly from offshore generation if they are allowed to do so. Will they be allowed to do so? What will be the relevant criteria?

We are hopelessly behind. We will not attract international investment without certainty.

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