Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reassure the Deputy that we are not missing this. The White Paper states the scale of our offshore wind potential, when coupled with hydrogen production, offers a once-in-a-century industrial development opportunity, as well as high-value export capability. My Department, being responsible for enterprise, trade and employment, needs to be central to the planning in this regard. We are part of the offshore wind energy task force, which is chaired by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan. On that task force, we have a specific responsibility for supply chain issues. Obviously, our agencies are very much part of that discussion.

It is important to say this is in development and that we do not have it right yet. However, considerable effort and time are being devoted to ensuring a cross-government response to the potential. In many ways, we are in a race against time because other countries are doing the same as us. Scotland and Portugal, in particular, are well ahead of Ireland regarding offshore wind. France is also developing at pace, as are other EU countries. Therefore, Ireland needs to ensure the State element of this, in terms of agencies, Departments and Ministers, is putting the necessary regulatory, policy and funding environments in place to allow the private sector to invest what is a wall of investment capital in the sector over the next five to ten years. That means making ready our ports and ensuring a supply chain that can greatly benefit parts of Ireland that currently do not have the job creation potential the sector can provide in the future.

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