Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As we are doing that, in the lifetime of this Government, we will set out the so-called "enduring regime", which is the really big project. In truth, the big power is to the west and north west, if one looks at where the resource is - where the really strong winds are - and where our largest sea area is. Critical to that is getting the environmental conditions right and, therefore, one designates marine area protections and special protection areas, SPAs. Bird life is the critical constraint. We have done a lot of work. Deputy Ó Cuív will be familiar with High Island in Connemara. Over the years, we have done an assessment of how the Manx shearwaters and other birds go out into the Atlantic, what their feeding patterns are, etc. We can use some of that historical data to make sure we match the areas where we put the turbines with good ecological restoration. That is one of the key things we need to do.

We will do all that in the remaining lifetime of this Government, so that we will begin to see the turbines coming and set in train a process that will not stop where that power powers our country and powers part of Europe too because we have a surplus. That is why this is an economic opportunity.

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