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

Certainly, on the renewable energy sector, we are, first and foremost, trying to decarbonise our own grid but we recognise the potential for renewable energy generation in Ireland goes way beyond our domestic needs. I see energy in a similar way to dairy product. We produce a lot of dairy product, 85% of which is exported. By 2050, we will be in the same space from an energy perspective. From a clean energy perspective, we will be exporting large volumes of clean renewable energy that will be facilitated through a hydrogen industry, ammonia and interconnection. That is a good thing. Ireland is one of the most globalised economies on the planet. We import and export easily and we do not put barriers in place. We want to limit state aid interventions, where possible, so we can compete and our companies are not faced with barriers when they look to enter new markets. We have to be willing to apply that to the other countries we trade with and import from. I take the point the Deputy made. We can potentially look at some strategic sectors where we could do more at home and build an indigenous industry perhaps to reduce a reliance on imports from markets and countries that have proven to be disrupted.

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