Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The situation that we face this winter has the potential to be severe. Regrettably, there is a need for urgent action, including additional generation of power. For that reason, we do not oppose the legislation, but we have some concerns about the manner in which it is being processed. I accept that it is frustrating when we see the situation, we are in. It is due to Government policy in recent years.

We are here because of a failure of the Government to plan to ensure we would have adequate capacity. I attended a briefing this morning given by Wind Energy Ireland relating to the potential of wind energy independence for Ireland and zero carbon electricity generation by 2035. It was very positive stuff but it seems, although I hope it is not, far removed from this winter and the current situation we are in. Think of the position we could be in now had more been done over the past ten years in terms of the national grid and how we generate energy.

If we are to grasp the benefits of what is coming down the tracks, we need to ensure the grid is there to match it. Both EirGrid and the CRU and any organisation that is connected to this need to lift their game to ensure, first, in the here and now this winter, that we will have adequate capacity, that the lights will stay on and that the most vulnerable will not end up facing hardship by way of dark, cold and all the rest of it. Moreover, we need to ensure we will seize that opportunity for energy independence, reduced emissions and significant employment.

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