Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Exceptional times require exceptional measures, and there is no doubt we are living through exceptional times. As for exceptional measures, it looks as though the Dáil has to afford exceptional powers to the Minister, given the Bill seeks to disapply the Planning and Development Act. This is necessary safeguarding legislation to protect against unwarranted development and citizens' rights being trampled on by planning developments. It is being proposed to reflect the significant concerns relating to energy supply and, in the main, seeks to facilitate the development of electricity-generating capacity through new generator deployment at Tarbert and Shannonbridge power stations.

We in the Regional Group recently tabled a motion requesting the repurposing of Shannonbridge as a generating station but using a different fuel supply. We brought forward a thesis whereby it could be fuelled by biomass, which would be redirected from the forestry export market, where it is sold at present for little money. This could have been used as an inward feedstock to develop indigenous electricity generation, but it is obvious the Government has other thoughts on the subject. It would have benefited both the security of supply and two indigenous, domestic sectoral industries, and I would hazard a guess it would also generate additional employment. It appears the Government has other ideas, and what has been proposed by the Bill, it appears, is now the outcome, namely, the purchase of additional large generator capacity to be deployed.

The Bill the Government is proposing also speaks to the capacity of legislation to consider other site generation outside of these two capacity sites where the planning Act and the safeguards could, again, be disapplied. I am concerned, like other colleagues who have spoken, about that type of power and I believe that if such actions are being considered, they should be brought back before the Dáil for approval.

Much has been made of the electricity supply concerns we face because of the Ukraine war and the effects that is having on supply pricing due to Russia's actions in turning off the supply of gas to the European market. It is true Europe has become far too dependent over many decades on Russian gas and this was flagged, but onward we went on our merry way.

We can acknowledge now that we are facing significant supply constraints and spiralling price inflation, but we might also look to our own actions relating to generating electricity capacity and distributive solutions over the years. Despite much talk of offshore wind potential and wind energy generation, we are still awaiting the formation of the maritime area regulatory authority, MARA, to assist in offshore wind licensing approvals. This regulatory regime is needed to provide assurances to financial investment, primarily in future offshore wind development, and we are way behind where we said we would be with the development of this institution.

In addition, opportunities to develop solar farm energy have been left in limbo up to now. There are no specific regulations concerning them and no safeguards for those wishing to invest in the area, and there is a lot of difficulty arising from planning constraints. We spoke about many farm sheds that have been identified for years and that, with the support of grant aid, could now generate solar electricity. Instead, the Government has sat on its hands, having been repeatedly asked to provide funding to this area, while the funding and farm grants for this ran out almost two years ago without being properly replaced. It was only in recent weeks the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage made solar arrays on roofs free of planning constraints, but accessing funding remains a key difficulty.

We have heard much public discussion regarding the possibilities of anaerobic digestion and the production of biogas. These eminently proven technologies have been implemented as part of energy mixes throughout the Continent for a number of years, yet we - the Government - remain agnostic to supporting these technologies. We also continue to turn our back on any consideration of liquefied natural gas, of using the potential of the Kinsale gas line to import it from associated shipping or of examining the technology of sequestering gas within the existing closed wells. Again, these technologies are being deployed elsewhere but, for some reason, our climate agenda cannot extend itself to them. It seems we will not burn fossil fuels under any domestic technology development or enhancement, but we have no difficulty in buying generator capacity that will have to run on fossil fuels to provide the 450 MW of added energy security the Bill will entail.

I expect this Bill to pass largely because the country has no choice. We cannot risk electricity brownouts or blackouts and all the difficulties that will bring to our population, industry and economy. I have significant concerns regarding the trajectory of energy policy in this country, which encourages additional data centre development while at the same time taking knee-jerk reactions to offset the lack of action that Government could have and still can take to expedite additional indigenous electricity generation. Like other colleagues, I will not oppose this legislation. However, I believe we need to be doing, and can do, much more in terms of indigenous electrical generation. I hope to see the Minister maybe becoming more activated to that extent.

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