Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State’s response and I fully agree with the multi-port approach. I encourage the Government to leave no stone unturned in developing all our ports as quickly as possible. An important point to make about the development of these sports is that they are keystone projects in realising a wider and positive vision.

We in this country can be accused of siloing many of our challenges, but the ports unlock a great deal of potential for the country to shift from being a carbon-intensive society. I talk about my neck of the woods much of the time, but I will speak about the wider vision for a moment. If we can develop Foynes as an offshore hub and start to develop the west coast resource and towns like Foynes, Askeaton and Adare as well as Limerick city, the benefit will extend all the way up the west coast. The offshore renewable potential is an opportunity to achieve balanced regional development, something that the State has not achieved since its inception 100 years ago.

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